"The city, the great one" is the city of Jerusalem."
The emphatic and exclusive phase, “the city, the great one,” which describes “Babylon” in Rev14v8, 16v19, 17v18, 18v10,16,18,19,21; is said, in Rev 11v8, to be the place “where also our Lord was crucified,” that is, Jerusalem. Those who say that “Babylon” is Rome, admit that it is very difficult to ignore this plain statement that “the city, the great one” is Jerusalem. They admit that they lay aside the revealed facts of God’s Word for their own opinion. In Rev 11v8, the name “Sodom” is given to Jerusalem to show the rioting in the sins of the flesh, and the going after “strange flesh.” Dan 2v43, Gen 6v2, Jude v6, Rev 12v9, Ezek 16v45-56. The name of “Egypt” is given to Jerusalem to show that her king sets himself forth as God, and rejects all the mighty manifestations of God's power through God's servants. Just as in the time of Moses and Pharaoh there will be a violent conflict between the powers of good and evil. 2Tim 3v8, Matt 23v31, 24v11,24, John 8v44. The name of “Babylon” is given to Jerusalem to show its spiritual condition under Antichrist, it's worship of false Gods, its hatred of God, its sinful luxuries, and the extent of Antichrist's power and kingdom. Dan 2v39, Rev 17v4, 18v2,3,9-19. The adjective “megale,” great, is used in connection with Babylon every time it occurs in Revelation. Rev 14v8, 16v19, 17v5, 18v2,10,21. “Babylon” is also called “the great whore,” who is drunk with the blood of saints and martyrs, for she has gone after many lovers, and like a harlot has led many into sin, when she should have been leading people to God. Those who say that the Scarlet Woman cannot represent Jerusalem, because she is called a whore, and not an adulteress, ignore the fact that in Isaiah 1v21, God said that “the faithful city” had become a harlot. Jer 2v20,3v1,9. In Nahum 3v4, God also said that wicked Nineveh was a harlot, however, Jerusalem's sin was far worse, because they sinned against the light that God had given them. In Ezek 16v15,32,45-49,56, God calls Jerusalem the sister of Sodom to show the people's depravity and sin, a description, which is repeated in Rev11v8. The woman's gorgeous robes cover abominable wickedness. She is clothed in costly robes, and decked with gold, precious stones and pearls, but she is still a harlot, and her golden cup is full of abominations. She is drunk with the blood of the saints, and is inspired by the Beast, who is full of blasphemy, to murder those who worship the true God. Here the city of God has become the city of Satan and Antichrist, a city full of the vilest doctrines and practices. In Jer 51v7, ancient Babylon is said to be a cup in God’s hand that made the earth drunk and mad. Jerusalem becomes the centre of the worship of Satan and Antichrist, and the murderous persecution of the Church, and like ancient Babylon, corrupts many nations with her idolatry. Rev 14v8, 17v1-6,18, 19v2.
These names give a very graphic description of the spiritual condition of Jerusalem under Antichrist; its abominable wickedness, idolatry, hatred of God, and its ultimate judgement by God. The city of God becomes the city of the Devil, and a partaker of the sins that resulted in the destruction of the other kingdoms that make up the head of the Beast. Jerusalem’s trust in Antichrist will bring about its destruction, it will again taste the fruit of her unfaithfulness to God, and will be mercilessly ruled by men who are under Satan’s control. Rev 17v5,16. Rome has never been looked upon as God's wife, so she can never have been His unfaithful wife; this is the sin and name that the prophets hurl against Jerusalem. Isaiah 1v21, 57v8, Jer 2v20, 3v1-25, 4v30, 11v15, 13v27, Ezek Chapters 16, 22 and 23.
Babylon has committed the sins which are exclusively Jerusalem's sins."
Babylon is said to have shed the blood of saints, martyrs, apostles, and prophets. Rev 17v6, 18v6,20,24. This is the righteous blood that our Lord said Jerusalem had, and would shed. Matt 23v29-34. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament saints suffered at the hands of apostate Jews. How can people say that apostate Jews, who kill the children of God, reject Christ and His Gospel, and accept Antichrist and partake of his wickedness, are the elect of Matt 24? Christ called such Jews serpents and vipers, and children of the Devil, and says that they are destined for the lake of fire. Matt 23v33, John 8v43-45, Rev 14v9-12. The Scriptures tell us that the only people who will not be deceived and will not follow Antichrist in the countries under his sway, will be those who are saved. Rev 13v8.
The destruction of "Babylon" is the destruction of Jerusalem."
The destruction of “Babylon” by Antichrist in Rev 17v16,17, occurs just before the end of the age, and cannot be any other than the destruction of Jerusalem just before the second coming of the Lord Jesus. It coincides exactly in time, place, and in fulfilment of prophecy. Matt 24v28, Luke 21v20-24, Rev 14v8,19,20, Zech 14v1, Joel 3 all.
Antichrist rules from Jerusalem in the great tribulation."
The fact that “Babylon” rules over the kings of the earth is another proof that she is Jerusalem, for Antichrist rules his kingdom from the Temple at Jerusalem, and sets up his image there. Rev 13v14,15, 17v18, 2Thess 2v3,4, Matt 24v15, Dan 9v27, 11v31, 12v11. The Scriptures we have examined prove that “Babylon” is Jerusalem, not Rome, and that Antichrist's rule is centred around Jerusalem, not Rome.
The Kingdom Of The Antichrist Is Not Based On Rome
Rome is not the city of Babylon named in Revelation. The Antichrist has been linked with Rome on the basis that the seven hills mentioned in Rev 17v9, are the seven hills of Rome. Christians have felt that the great persecutions of the Church by the Roman state and Roman Church, also confirms their identification of the harlot city of Babylon in Rev 17, with the city of Rome.
The seven mountains are ruled by seven kings, and are seven kingdoms
When the Scriptures speak of a mountain in a symbolic prophetical way, it represents a kingdom. Dan 2v35,44,45, Isaiah 2v2, Rev 13v1,7 with Rev 17v12,17. These seven hills are seven different kingdoms, over which seven kings rule.
The Antichrist is the seventh and eighth head of the Beast
We are told in Rev 17v10 that the final Antichrist is the seventh and eighth head of the Beast, and that Rome, the sixth head, was in power in John's time, so the final Antichrist and beast cannot be Rome. We are told in Rev 13v3 and 17v8, that Antichrist appears to imitate Christ's resurrection from the dead. We read in Rev 17v10,11, that before his death Antichrist is the seventh king, and after his resurrection he is the eighth king, when he becomes even more wicked, merciless, ruthless, and cruel. Antichrist is possessed and dominated by Satan, and puts all his desires and plans into operation; he will be the most evil and most malevolent and pitiless man, that the world has ever seen. Dan 8v24, Rev 13v4. In John's time it says that the seventh head of the beast of Rev 17, had yet to come, and when it did it would only last a short time.
The Antichrist is also spoken of as "the king of the North"
The kingdom of Antichrist is said to be north of Palestine in Dan 11v40 to 12v7, this kingdom cannot be Rome, for Rome is certainly not north of Palestine. We are also told in Daniel 8, that the Antichrist comes out of part of the Grecian empire north of Palestine. The legs of iron of Dan 2v33,40-43 and the fourth beast of Dan 7v7,8,17-28 were only partially fulfilled by Rome. The stress of these prophecies was upon the fourth kingdom and last days, as Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar; “God hath made known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days.” Dan 2v28. The stone cut without hands, Christ and His kingdom, fell on the feet of the image and destroyed it. Dan 2v35,44,45. Antichrist will try to fight Jesus at His coming, and will be destroyed by Him for his gross wickedness and impenitence. Rev 17v11-14, 19v19-21, Dan 8v25,26.
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