Right off the bat I want to confess I'm currently a partial-preterist, or I'd rather call it orthodoxical preterism because it's the full and hyper-preterist that need the qualifier. So I'm going to try to explain to you with 15 reasons why I believe Babylon the Great Harlot of Revelation 17-18 can be none other then 1st century ancient Jerusalem (Israel). Beware, this is a long and exhaustive study and I'm sorry in advance for any typos.
I would also like to tell you I'm not anti-Israel, neither am I pro-Israel. I'm not anti-semite. I'm pro-peace, both for Israel and the Palestine.
15 reasons why Mystery Babylon in Revelation 17 is 1st Century Jerusalem. Granted, some of these characteristics may apply to other cities, however, all of these characteristics must apply and be true to properly identify who the MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS is.
1) Revelation 17:1 makes reference to a great harlot who sits on many waters. Verse 15 helps us a lot in telling who this great harlot is. The word “waters” can not be interpreted literally here, because verse 15 interprets this for us. The waters are “are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.” I believe that Jesus is making a comparison here that ancient Babylon in its gloriest of days is much like 1st Century Jerusalem in its day.
1st Century Jerusalem had a great influence over the nations of the world (Roman inhabitants, Roman occupied areas, the world which was known to the region of Roman). It was the last major cities that the Roman armies had conquered. It was the center for trade and worship in the region. From the very beginning it was to bless the families of the Earth (Earth can mean inhabited land or region, ex Matt. 2:6 uses same word is use but most translators translate G1093 “ge” here as land. I believe whenever you see “ge” or Earth in Revelation, it should be translated as land in most or all cases). In Genesis 12:3 God says, “I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (same here, Earth, H0127 can simply mean ground, land, territory, or whole inhabited earth etc.). This is the first and initial calling of Abram and the promise that through Abram the whole world will be blessed. This rings true because through Abraham came the messiah. What greater blessing is for the world is there, the families of the Earth, that messiah came through Abram to Jews and gentiles, the whole world has a redeemer that wasn't just meant for a race or nationality but for everyone, nor a little strip of land but the whole globe!
What does the name Babylon mean? It has two meanings, first it means gate of deity, many web sites put it “The form Babylon is the Greek variant of Akkadian Babilu (bāb-ilû, meaning "Gateway of the god(s)", translating Sumerian Ka.dingir.ra): also see babylon. definition | Bible Dictionary Jerusalem (the head or capital of Israel) was to be the true Babylon, for God actually had His dwelling there in the temple and in which it actually was a gateway, because God opened the gate of heaven and sent to us His son. Second, it means babel, which is to confuse. A point I'd like to make about Babilu, “Gateway of God” is this, Jerusalem was center of Old Testament, Old covenant worship because of the temple. No other city, nation, establishment, whatever, can make this claim. Another point about Babel, it was the confusion of tongues, it's the beginning of all the different languages (Gen. 11:9) and all the nations originated from here (I'm not saying that the story of babel took place geographically where Jerusalem was). What world changing and significant event is this!; and what other very significant and world changing event took place? One in Jerusalem! Where the Jewish religious zealots confused their true messiah as a faults one. The old testament scriptures are clear, Daniel's prophecies, Isaiah 53, etc. speak of it, they shouldn't have missed Him. Jerusalem was the (like a) capital of the nation that was supposed to bring spiritual blessings to the world. They had everything, the law, the prophets, the temple, the word of God, and for a short time they were the (God's) capital of the world. But through their sinfulness, rejecting God and Christ, they were dispensed through out the Earth (Assyrian and Babylon captivities), just as original Babel was scattered in Gen 11:9. Amazing what God had done in Babel, and what He had undone in Jerusalem at pentecost (see the parallel).
Therefore, at the time of Christ, many Jews came from all over the region to worship, especially at the passover celebration. They came from different nations (which also could be interpreted tribes) and also spoke different languages (Acts 2 is proof of this, the Day of Pentecost). 1st Century Jerusalem became the center where all tribes from all over the region gathered for the Jewish festivals. Acts 2:5 verifies this, that the Jews gathered from all nations. What other nation, city, establishment or whatever, who is called a harlot (Jerusalem is the only city in the OT that called a harlot. I'll further explain in reason 2), who can claim such a gathering as this? (Rev. 17:15, “are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues”). My answer is 1st Century Jerusalem.
2) Babylon the great harlot is guilty of fornication. There is overwhelming biblical evidence that Israel, Jerusalem in particular is a great harlot and guilty of adultery:
Isaiah 1:21
How the faithful city has become a harlot!
It was full of justice;
Righteousness lodged in it,
But now murderers. (NKJV)
Jeremiah 13:27
“I have seen your adulteries
And your lustful neighings,
The lewdness of your harlotry,
Your abominations on the hills in the fields.
Woe to you, O Jerusalem!
Will you still not be made clean?”
Under the heading in Isaiah 57 “Israel’s Futile Idolatry” in have in verse 3 (NKJV):
“You offspring of the adulterer and the harlot!”
Please read all of Ezekiel 16, this should convince you who the greatest harlot was for in verse 15 God says, “But you trusted in your own beauty, played the harlot because of your fame, and poured out your harlotry on everyone passing by who would have it.” Also verses 25-26 “You built your high places at the head of every road, and made your beauty to be abhorred. You offered yourself to everyone who passed by, and multiplied your acts of harlotry. You also committed harlotry with the Egyptians, your very fleshly neighbors, and increased your acts of harlotry to provoke Me to anger.”God later calls them and adulterous wife, and He states that they actually paid other nations to be their lovers. Normally men pay the harlot for sex, but here the harlot pays the strangers for them to come and have sex with her. What greater harlotry can there be? Granted, all cities and nations play the harlot to some degree, but what other nation or city is there that God calls His wife, who pays and actually begs other strangers (nations) to be her lover (idolatry). Jerusalem was so bad in her fornication that they were worse then a normal prostitute, who gets paid for being one. But Jerusalem paid her lovers to come and be in bed with her. Again, who else in scripture is called a great harlot? Also read Ezekiel 23.
3) Who is the woman sitting on the scarlet beast in revelation 17:3? And who is the beast? Back in Revelation 17:9-10 and Rev. 13 we see that the beast is 1st century Ancient Rome. The Roman empire is the beast corporately and Nero is the the beast individually. Many futurist say the beast is a revived Rome, America, or some religious establishment but of coarse nothing can be proven if it's yet future, and neither is a revived Roman empire, nor America, nor a religious institution referred to as a beast any where in scripture. Proving that ancient Rome is the beast is another topic, so I won't get in it here. So if you disagree with me that the beast is ancient Rome then you'll just have to ask yourself what if it is, and ponder the possibility (Please take into consideration all the time references in Rev. 1-1,3, the letters Rev. 2 and 3, Rev. 22:7 and 20. Please take into consideration that the Lord told Daniel to seal up the book for the time is not yet, but the Lord told John not to seal up the book, in other words, to push it out now, for the time is at hand, Rev. 22:10... And yes, I believe Rev. was written before 70
AD. See Dating of Revelation).
The woman sitting on the beast can't be Rome, because it wouldn't make any sense having Rome riding on Rome. So the woman and beast have to be two separate things and not the same. In that day, Jerusalem was the only city that was allowed to continue in Godly temple worship (even though some of the sacrifices were also made to other gods and to the emperors in the temple). The Roman empire had conquered all the surrounding nations (the 4th Satanic beast in Daniels prophecy). Jerusalem was a well thought of city for all around, therefore to some extent and more then any other city, was allowed be self-governed. In this way, Jerusalem rode on the back of the Roman empire. Jerusalem enjoyed and relied on Rome for her economics and military protection. But later Jerusalem grew more boldly and confrontational to Rome and it's emperors. Jerusalem invoked Rome to anger and Rome grew hateful towards Jerusalem and the Jews (see point 12). All other populated areas had to submit to the full worship of the emperor Caesar, which is why we have the 7 letters to the churches in Rev. 2-3 where Jesus warns them not to loose heart and to encourage them to be over-comers of the intense persecution (both from their own countrymen and the Romans). Actually, the Jewish religious zealots where the first ones to persecution the Christians and actually encouraged the Roman authorities to join them. We see this with Jesus' own crucifixion and in the book of Acts regarding the apostle Paul and through out the New Testament (read Acts 24:1-3 and John 19:15).
4) Babylon was clothed in fine attire (Rev 17:4) see references Isaiah 3:16-23; Ezekiel 16:9-14; Ezekiel 23:40-42; Exodus 28 – read about the attire they had to wear. There is nothing more God could have done for them as far as blessings go. They were supposed to be cream of the crop- Isaiah 5:4. Notice in Exodus 28:6 the particular colors of the garments, the breastplate, ephod, robe, tunic, turban, and sash are all made with the colors purple and scarlet. In Rev. 17:4 the woman was dressed in attire of purple and scarlet.
I would also like to tell you I'm not anti-Israel, neither am I pro-Israel. I'm not anti-semite. I'm pro-peace, both for Israel and the Palestine.
Revelation 17, Who is Mystery Babylon
15 reasons why Mystery Babylon in Revelation 17 is 1st Century Jerusalem. Granted, some of these characteristics may apply to other cities, however, all of these characteristics must apply and be true to properly identify who the MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS is.
1) Revelation 17:1 makes reference to a great harlot who sits on many waters. Verse 15 helps us a lot in telling who this great harlot is. The word “waters” can not be interpreted literally here, because verse 15 interprets this for us. The waters are “are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.” I believe that Jesus is making a comparison here that ancient Babylon in its gloriest of days is much like 1st Century Jerusalem in its day.
1st Century Jerusalem had a great influence over the nations of the world (Roman inhabitants, Roman occupied areas, the world which was known to the region of Roman). It was the last major cities that the Roman armies had conquered. It was the center for trade and worship in the region. From the very beginning it was to bless the families of the Earth (Earth can mean inhabited land or region, ex Matt. 2:6 uses same word is use but most translators translate G1093 “ge” here as land. I believe whenever you see “ge” or Earth in Revelation, it should be translated as land in most or all cases). In Genesis 12:3 God says, “I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (same here, Earth, H0127 can simply mean ground, land, territory, or whole inhabited earth etc.). This is the first and initial calling of Abram and the promise that through Abram the whole world will be blessed. This rings true because through Abraham came the messiah. What greater blessing is for the world is there, the families of the Earth, that messiah came through Abram to Jews and gentiles, the whole world has a redeemer that wasn't just meant for a race or nationality but for everyone, nor a little strip of land but the whole globe!
What does the name Babylon mean? It has two meanings, first it means gate of deity, many web sites put it “The form Babylon is the Greek variant of Akkadian Babilu (bāb-ilû, meaning "Gateway of the god(s)", translating Sumerian Ka.dingir.ra): also see babylon. definition | Bible Dictionary Jerusalem (the head or capital of Israel) was to be the true Babylon, for God actually had His dwelling there in the temple and in which it actually was a gateway, because God opened the gate of heaven and sent to us His son. Second, it means babel, which is to confuse. A point I'd like to make about Babilu, “Gateway of God” is this, Jerusalem was center of Old Testament, Old covenant worship because of the temple. No other city, nation, establishment, whatever, can make this claim. Another point about Babel, it was the confusion of tongues, it's the beginning of all the different languages (Gen. 11:9) and all the nations originated from here (I'm not saying that the story of babel took place geographically where Jerusalem was). What world changing and significant event is this!; and what other very significant and world changing event took place? One in Jerusalem! Where the Jewish religious zealots confused their true messiah as a faults one. The old testament scriptures are clear, Daniel's prophecies, Isaiah 53, etc. speak of it, they shouldn't have missed Him. Jerusalem was the (like a) capital of the nation that was supposed to bring spiritual blessings to the world. They had everything, the law, the prophets, the temple, the word of God, and for a short time they were the (God's) capital of the world. But through their sinfulness, rejecting God and Christ, they were dispensed through out the Earth (Assyrian and Babylon captivities), just as original Babel was scattered in Gen 11:9. Amazing what God had done in Babel, and what He had undone in Jerusalem at pentecost (see the parallel).
Therefore, at the time of Christ, many Jews came from all over the region to worship, especially at the passover celebration. They came from different nations (which also could be interpreted tribes) and also spoke different languages (Acts 2 is proof of this, the Day of Pentecost). 1st Century Jerusalem became the center where all tribes from all over the region gathered for the Jewish festivals. Acts 2:5 verifies this, that the Jews gathered from all nations. What other nation, city, establishment or whatever, who is called a harlot (Jerusalem is the only city in the OT that called a harlot. I'll further explain in reason 2), who can claim such a gathering as this? (Rev. 17:15, “are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues”). My answer is 1st Century Jerusalem.
2) Babylon the great harlot is guilty of fornication. There is overwhelming biblical evidence that Israel, Jerusalem in particular is a great harlot and guilty of adultery:
Isaiah 1:21
How the faithful city has become a harlot!
It was full of justice;
Righteousness lodged in it,
But now murderers. (NKJV)
Jeremiah 13:27
“I have seen your adulteries
And your lustful neighings,
The lewdness of your harlotry,
Your abominations on the hills in the fields.
Woe to you, O Jerusalem!
Will you still not be made clean?”
Under the heading in Isaiah 57 “Israel’s Futile Idolatry” in have in verse 3 (NKJV):
“You offspring of the adulterer and the harlot!”
Please read all of Ezekiel 16, this should convince you who the greatest harlot was for in verse 15 God says, “But you trusted in your own beauty, played the harlot because of your fame, and poured out your harlotry on everyone passing by who would have it.” Also verses 25-26 “You built your high places at the head of every road, and made your beauty to be abhorred. You offered yourself to everyone who passed by, and multiplied your acts of harlotry. You also committed harlotry with the Egyptians, your very fleshly neighbors, and increased your acts of harlotry to provoke Me to anger.”God later calls them and adulterous wife, and He states that they actually paid other nations to be their lovers. Normally men pay the harlot for sex, but here the harlot pays the strangers for them to come and have sex with her. What greater harlotry can there be? Granted, all cities and nations play the harlot to some degree, but what other nation or city is there that God calls His wife, who pays and actually begs other strangers (nations) to be her lover (idolatry). Jerusalem was so bad in her fornication that they were worse then a normal prostitute, who gets paid for being one. But Jerusalem paid her lovers to come and be in bed with her. Again, who else in scripture is called a great harlot? Also read Ezekiel 23.
3) Who is the woman sitting on the scarlet beast in revelation 17:3? And who is the beast? Back in Revelation 17:9-10 and Rev. 13 we see that the beast is 1st century Ancient Rome. The Roman empire is the beast corporately and Nero is the the beast individually. Many futurist say the beast is a revived Rome, America, or some religious establishment but of coarse nothing can be proven if it's yet future, and neither is a revived Roman empire, nor America, nor a religious institution referred to as a beast any where in scripture. Proving that ancient Rome is the beast is another topic, so I won't get in it here. So if you disagree with me that the beast is ancient Rome then you'll just have to ask yourself what if it is, and ponder the possibility (Please take into consideration all the time references in Rev. 1-1,3, the letters Rev. 2 and 3, Rev. 22:7 and 20. Please take into consideration that the Lord told Daniel to seal up the book for the time is not yet, but the Lord told John not to seal up the book, in other words, to push it out now, for the time is at hand, Rev. 22:10... And yes, I believe Rev. was written before 70
AD. See Dating of Revelation).
The woman sitting on the beast can't be Rome, because it wouldn't make any sense having Rome riding on Rome. So the woman and beast have to be two separate things and not the same. In that day, Jerusalem was the only city that was allowed to continue in Godly temple worship (even though some of the sacrifices were also made to other gods and to the emperors in the temple). The Roman empire had conquered all the surrounding nations (the 4th Satanic beast in Daniels prophecy). Jerusalem was a well thought of city for all around, therefore to some extent and more then any other city, was allowed be self-governed. In this way, Jerusalem rode on the back of the Roman empire. Jerusalem enjoyed and relied on Rome for her economics and military protection. But later Jerusalem grew more boldly and confrontational to Rome and it's emperors. Jerusalem invoked Rome to anger and Rome grew hateful towards Jerusalem and the Jews (see point 12). All other populated areas had to submit to the full worship of the emperor Caesar, which is why we have the 7 letters to the churches in Rev. 2-3 where Jesus warns them not to loose heart and to encourage them to be over-comers of the intense persecution (both from their own countrymen and the Romans). Actually, the Jewish religious zealots where the first ones to persecution the Christians and actually encouraged the Roman authorities to join them. We see this with Jesus' own crucifixion and in the book of Acts regarding the apostle Paul and through out the New Testament (read Acts 24:1-3 and John 19:15).
4) Babylon was clothed in fine attire (Rev 17:4) see references Isaiah 3:16-23; Ezekiel 16:9-14; Ezekiel 23:40-42; Exodus 28 – read about the attire they had to wear. There is nothing more God could have done for them as far as blessings go. They were supposed to be cream of the crop- Isaiah 5:4. Notice in Exodus 28:6 the particular colors of the garments, the breastplate, ephod, robe, tunic, turban, and sash are all made with the colors purple and scarlet. In Rev. 17:4 the woman was dressed in attire of purple and scarlet.
