In todays thinking, we distinguish between a tower called Babel and a city, empire, and pervasive theological metaphor called Babylon. No such distinction exists in the Hebrew Bible. For the tower, the city, the empire, and the metaphor that makes its way through Scripture down to the close of human history and the triumph of salvation history are all the same Hebrew word babel , Babylon. Babel is Babylon and Babel is confusion.
The name Babylon is derived from BAB-ILU (Babel, or Babylon) was “gate of the gods” or "the portal of the gods", and in a sense it thus portrays a means of access to the gods that is contrary to God's prescribed plan of salvation. Access is granted through the system and not by faith in Jesus Christ. It is a system where salvation by works replaces salvation by faith. To add to the confusion (which is also implied in the name Babylon), the Babylonians believed in a pantheon of gods thus providing more than one intercessor, which also makes the ministry of Jesus of non effect.
The Babylonian system of worship has ever been a snare to God's people, as it is more in tune with human nature to rely on salvation by works than on salvation by grace. From the very beginning, these two systems of worship have been in confrontation with each other. The story of Cain and Abel illustrates this point. Abel listened to the divine directive and brought a lamb without blemish (symbol of Jesus Christ) as an offering, but Cain brought the fruits of his labour. When the offering of Abel was accepted by God, the anger of Cain was aroused and ever since, this first confrontation between these two systems of worship, the fires of religious intolerance and persecution have been burning on this planet.
Ancient Babylon serves as a type of a much greater end-time confederacy of religious apostasy and intolerance that would seek to control conscience before the close of earth's history. Ancient Babylon, according to the scriptures, was the pride of the Chaldeans, it was larger and more impressive than any of the ancient cities and it was the center of ancient worship. Babylon reached the height of its power and glory under Nebuchadnezzar, and ancient inscriptions on clay tablets tell the story of how his father (Nabopolasser) and he restored the ancient tower of Babel which epitomized salvation by self:
At the time Marduk commanded me to build the tower of Babel, which had become weakened by time and fallen into disrepair; he commanded me to ground its base securely on the breast of the underworld, whereas its pinnacles should strain towards the skies. Nabopolasser
To raise up the top of the E-temen-an-ki that it may rival heaven, I laid my hand.
Nebuchadnezzar.
No wonder that God predicted that this great city would fall never to be inhabited again. Approximately 300 years before its destruction by Xerxes, the prophet Isaiah predicted:
And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there. Isaiah 13:19,20
In spite of this prophecy, there have been attempts to rebuild Babylon. Alexander the Great tried to restore the tower of Babel to its original glory and make the city his capital in 330 BC, but before he could begin he died. Babylon, the great city, referred to in the book of Revelation can thus not refer to literal Babylon, as that was never to be inhabited again. Rather, it refers to anti-typical Babylon, which must be a much greater fulfillment of all that ancient Babylon stood for. Moreover, just as ancient Babylon came to a fall, so the end-time confederacy will also come to a fall because, as in ancient times, she made all the people drink of the wine of her false doctrines.
The second angel's message in Revelation 14:8 reads:
And there followed another angel saying, 'Babylon is fallen is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.'
Numerous verses in the book of Revelation warn against Babylon, and admonish God's people to come out of Babylon. Moreover, the message in Revelation 14:8 is repeated in Revelation 18:2 with a much stronger admonition reflecting the spiritual decay of the system.
And he cried mightily with a strong voice saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
The unclean and hateful birds must be a reference to a counterfeit Holy Spirit that would power the system and lead people to believe that they are working with the power of God when it is a deception masquerading as truth. In verse 4, John hears another voice from heaven saying:
Come out of her My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. Revelation 18:4
God would not admonish His people to come out of Babylon if it were impossible for them to identify Babylon. During the early Christian centuries, Jewish and Christian literature referred to the city of Rome as Babylon. 1 Peter 5:13 also refers to Rome as Babylon, since Peter wrote these words whilst in Rome, and literal Babylon no longer existed.
The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son. 1 Peter 5:13
Moreover, the description given in the book of Revelation clearly identifies the attributes of Babylon. Most Protestants of the Reformation and Post Reformation era referred to it as spiritual Babylon, the great enemy of God's people. The woman that rides the beast in Revelation 17 also has all the identifying features :
And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: and upon her forehead was a name written: Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth. Revelation 17: 4,5
In the Bible the symbol of a woman represents the church.
I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman. Jeremiah 6:2
Isaiah the prophet extends the symbol of a woman to that of a bride. The pure bride represents the pure church:
As the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee. Isaiah 62:5.
Turning to the New Testament the same symbolism is employed:
...for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:2
Babylon is described in Revelation 17:5 as the "mother of harlots" (apostate religious systems or churches), "Mystery" and the "abominations of the earth". Obviously if God's people are the chaste woman faithful to her husband, then Babylon is the opposite of this symbol or that system of worship which is unfaithful to God, and has a mystery religion and teaches and practices abominations.
The name Babylon is derived from BAB-ILU (Babel, or Babylon) was “gate of the gods” or "the portal of the gods", and in a sense it thus portrays a means of access to the gods that is contrary to God's prescribed plan of salvation. Access is granted through the system and not by faith in Jesus Christ. It is a system where salvation by works replaces salvation by faith. To add to the confusion (which is also implied in the name Babylon), the Babylonians believed in a pantheon of gods thus providing more than one intercessor, which also makes the ministry of Jesus of non effect.
The Babylonian system of worship has ever been a snare to God's people, as it is more in tune with human nature to rely on salvation by works than on salvation by grace. From the very beginning, these two systems of worship have been in confrontation with each other. The story of Cain and Abel illustrates this point. Abel listened to the divine directive and brought a lamb without blemish (symbol of Jesus Christ) as an offering, but Cain brought the fruits of his labour. When the offering of Abel was accepted by God, the anger of Cain was aroused and ever since, this first confrontation between these two systems of worship, the fires of religious intolerance and persecution have been burning on this planet.
Ancient Babylon serves as a type of a much greater end-time confederacy of religious apostasy and intolerance that would seek to control conscience before the close of earth's history. Ancient Babylon, according to the scriptures, was the pride of the Chaldeans, it was larger and more impressive than any of the ancient cities and it was the center of ancient worship. Babylon reached the height of its power and glory under Nebuchadnezzar, and ancient inscriptions on clay tablets tell the story of how his father (Nabopolasser) and he restored the ancient tower of Babel which epitomized salvation by self:
At the time Marduk commanded me to build the tower of Babel, which had become weakened by time and fallen into disrepair; he commanded me to ground its base securely on the breast of the underworld, whereas its pinnacles should strain towards the skies. Nabopolasser
To raise up the top of the E-temen-an-ki that it may rival heaven, I laid my hand.
Nebuchadnezzar.
No wonder that God predicted that this great city would fall never to be inhabited again. Approximately 300 years before its destruction by Xerxes, the prophet Isaiah predicted:
And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there. Isaiah 13:19,20
In spite of this prophecy, there have been attempts to rebuild Babylon. Alexander the Great tried to restore the tower of Babel to its original glory and make the city his capital in 330 BC, but before he could begin he died. Babylon, the great city, referred to in the book of Revelation can thus not refer to literal Babylon, as that was never to be inhabited again. Rather, it refers to anti-typical Babylon, which must be a much greater fulfillment of all that ancient Babylon stood for. Moreover, just as ancient Babylon came to a fall, so the end-time confederacy will also come to a fall because, as in ancient times, she made all the people drink of the wine of her false doctrines.
The second angel's message in Revelation 14:8 reads:
And there followed another angel saying, 'Babylon is fallen is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.'
Numerous verses in the book of Revelation warn against Babylon, and admonish God's people to come out of Babylon. Moreover, the message in Revelation 14:8 is repeated in Revelation 18:2 with a much stronger admonition reflecting the spiritual decay of the system.
And he cried mightily with a strong voice saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
The unclean and hateful birds must be a reference to a counterfeit Holy Spirit that would power the system and lead people to believe that they are working with the power of God when it is a deception masquerading as truth. In verse 4, John hears another voice from heaven saying:
Come out of her My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. Revelation 18:4
God would not admonish His people to come out of Babylon if it were impossible for them to identify Babylon. During the early Christian centuries, Jewish and Christian literature referred to the city of Rome as Babylon. 1 Peter 5:13 also refers to Rome as Babylon, since Peter wrote these words whilst in Rome, and literal Babylon no longer existed.
The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son. 1 Peter 5:13
Moreover, the description given in the book of Revelation clearly identifies the attributes of Babylon. Most Protestants of the Reformation and Post Reformation era referred to it as spiritual Babylon, the great enemy of God's people. The woman that rides the beast in Revelation 17 also has all the identifying features :
And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: and upon her forehead was a name written: Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth. Revelation 17: 4,5
In the Bible the symbol of a woman represents the church.
I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman. Jeremiah 6:2
Isaiah the prophet extends the symbol of a woman to that of a bride. The pure bride represents the pure church:
As the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee. Isaiah 62:5.
Turning to the New Testament the same symbolism is employed:
...for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:2
Babylon is described in Revelation 17:5 as the "mother of harlots" (apostate religious systems or churches), "Mystery" and the "abominations of the earth". Obviously if God's people are the chaste woman faithful to her husband, then Babylon is the opposite of this symbol or that system of worship which is unfaithful to God, and has a mystery religion and teaches and practices abominations.
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