I have some circumstancial evidence that "mystery Babylon" involves the city of Jerusalem.
However, I will say that many things in the Bible, including some prohecies, have at least a double meaning.
"Mystery, Babylon" probably refers to both a city AND a "World System".
by "world system" I do not necessarily mean a "one world government".
What I mean is a system of false religions. Ultimately, all false religions are but a part of a greater whole, which is Satan's rebellion against God.
The Muslim and the Buddhist and the voodoo and the hindu and the taoist and the wiccan, etc, along with the apostate church, and every other false religion; they all serve satan. They may not realize that, but it is still true nonetheless.
However, all of that being said, "Babylon" is a place too.
Here it is:
Luke 13:33Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.
In other words, Jesus is refering to the fact that almost all the Old Testament prophets who were ever murdered were murdered in Jerusalem.
34O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! 35Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Ok, now watch this language.
Rev. 18:20Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
24And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
Next proof. Back up to verse 16:
16And saying, Alas, alas that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
Now lets look at God's description of Jerusalem and Israel in Ezekiel chapter 16, and see the similarities in the language.
10I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers' skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk.
11I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck.
12And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head.
13Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom. 14And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord GOD.
it is eerily similar description of Israel and "Mystery Babylon".
Though the United States' day of judgement is coming, I do not believe the U.S. is "mystery Babylon".
If we back up to revelation 17, we see some things.
5And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH
In scripture, particularly in the prohetic books, a "harlot" represents a nation that is backslidden and has left God.
"The mother of Harlots" would then be a nation that is particularly guilty of having done this. Among all nations, Israel would be most guilty of this. "To whom much has been given much is required."
18And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
At the time this was written, Rome "reigned" over the earth in the natural sense, but Rome never "reigneth", certainly not in a religious sense, except as it regards catholicism.
But in terms of religions, Israel has always been the melting pot of every religion, both true and false. Even to this day, they have all sorts of idols from nearly every nation and religion built right into the knesset.
Among all harlots, Israel "reigneth" as the worst. The "contrary harlot" which had the greatest revelations of God given to her, and yet turned away as bad or worse than any other.
Next proof, a prophetic cross reference.
Zechariah 14:4
And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
This describes a terrible earthquake strong enough to rip a mountain in half, this would be at least a 10.0, maybe 10.5 or higher on the richter scale. It would dwarf the sumatra quake that made the tsunami in 2004.
This is where Jesus gave some of his sermons, and sits right next to Jerusalem proper.
Now see the same earthquake described in apocalyptic language in Revelation.
16:17And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
18And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. 19And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
20And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
Clearly, this earthquake WOULD cleave the mount of Olives, Just as prophesied in Zechariah. It would be difficult to imagine how anyone could survive such a quake in any of the coastal regions or mountain regions of the world which might be affected by it.
But that is the prophetic "cross reference" or "tie in". This quake in Revelation, when it happens, is more than big enough to fulfill Zechariah's prophecy.
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I pray for the salvation of Jews everywhere, and the peace of Jerusalem.
However, that doesn't change the facts:
The "mystery Babylon" or "Babylon the Great" spoken of in Revelation is Israel, specificly the city of Jerusalem.
