I think you have seen many responses that believe the woman of Revelation 17/18 is:
1.) Rome
2.) Jerusalem
They are incorrect.
The name Babylon is a "title" bestowed upon her by God to properly indicate her character (a house of bondage and abominations). In other words, the
unfaithful Church has "spiritually" become as Babylon. And she is a mystery or secret [
musterion] because how many people do you think
recognize that this fornicating woman called mystery Babylon is the unfaithful Church? ..it's a secret to all except those whom Christ has given to know Spiritual things. There are not many who will see that this is spiritually earth's representation of the holy city Jerusalem, the Lord's assembly. To most professing Christians, the Church is an untouchable entity that the gates of Hell shall never prevail against. But what they don't "SEE" is that there are two Churches spoken of in scripture. The external Covenant church, and the indivisible (not invisible) eternal Church comprised of all the true saints. One goes forth preaching and the gates of Hell won't prevail over as it builds God's Church. The other is masquerading as a Church, the bride of Christ, but will come under judgment as unfaithful. This is just as the external Old Covenant congregation Israel did in Old Testament times. For the congregations today are no better, and God is no respecter of persons. Read Ezekiel chapter 16 for great insight into this principle. Also:
Mark 13:14
- "But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:"
The answer to "when" is that it will happen near the Lord's second coming. That event is preceded by a great Apostasy in the Church, which is spiritually speaking, Judaea. The answer to "how" is that it is by those in the Church that are unfaithful that they become unequally yoked together with unbelievers, posing as believers. And the answer as to "why" is because those in the Churches have compromised and fallen away from holding fast the word of God and have adulterated His word to do man's will instead of God. the man of sin rules in God's place. Thus as judgment, they will have famine and be given to serve a false god in the Holy temple.
2nd Thessalonians 2:3-4
- "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
- Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God."
The purpose of Revelation chapter 17 is that by the Spirit of God, John (and indeed all the elect) would show God's people the judgment of the great harlot, the unfaithful woman that sitteth upon many waters. Even as by the Spirit John saw it, so by the Spirit the elect will have revealed the mystery/secret of the harlot. To the rest, Babylon will remain a mystery/secret, as they are oblivious to the destruction going on in their Churches. Because their conscience is seared.
..without the Spirit, it's just another cryptic and mysterious page of Revelation that is out of the grasp of their understanding.
And as for your question about the blood of the Saints and the blood of the martyrs of Jesus that the woman drunk with. For example, we read in Revelation 17:6:
- "And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
To be drunken is allegorically speaking of those whose awareness is impaired so that they are without sober spiritual perception. People who are deceived are those who are spiritually drunken. In this manner, it is this woman that causes professing Christians to act without sound judgment, having their faculties impaired by reason of the spirit of Satan that empowers her. These professing Christians are seduced so that by her seduction they are made spiritually drunken whereby they forsake sober or sound teachings for hose catering to the lusts of the flesh. Not unlike God compares the fool (
those acting unwisely or imprudently) in Isaiah to being drunken.
Isaiah 19:13-14
- "The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of the tribes thereof.
- The LORD hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit."
It is illustrative of those without bearing who are spiritually intoxicated by her false teaching so that they are under Satanic influence. Just as someone would be under the influence of alcohol so that they begin to make poor decisions and to act foolishly. This is the analogy being drawn here. The people stagger to and fro as they have unsure footing and are thus unable to soberly find the way. Spiritually speaking, as drunkenness their eyes are darkened, their paths blurred, and their mind is unsound.
Job 12:24-25
- "He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
- They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.
Again, the portrait is of a confused and unsound mind. The power or capacity of him to think soberly is gone causing an altering of his behavior in a negative fashion. In a phrase, spiritual drunkenness.
You might also do a study of how Christ said Jerusalem was drunk with the blood of the prophets. Because Jerusalem is a synonym for the church and their drunkenness was symbolic of their error and lack of sober judgment to discern truth.
The Woman is not Rome. Is not Jerusalem. Is not the United Nations. She is the one turns the new testament congregation away from serving God faithfully. That is the nature of spiritual fornication. This church (of which they are a part) has committed spiritual fornication with the world. Their false prophets and christs are out there to appease the sinners with their kool-aid Jesus doctrines. Just as Israel did with the nations around her, and yet there was a remnant according to Grace, who was still within her, but who ultimately came out.
For example, do you really feel comfortable going into Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church and listening to his abominations? Or do you need to leave the church to avoid being deceived? Yet Joel Osteen is one of MANY false prophets and there are many churches like his. Collectively, they are Babylon the Great.