Who is Babylon, the Great Harlot of Revelation 17 & 18? That is precisely the question we seek to answer in this teaching. After surveying the popular opinions on the matter, Brian shows why he leans toward the idea that the Great Harlot is Jerusalem who will be judged and destroyed in 70 A.D.
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The Great Harlot
Revelation 17:1-6
Revelation chapters 17 and 18 are devoted to describing the doom of Babylon the great. However, before we can understand her doom, we must first understand who she is. This morning, we will spend our time primarily in understanding who is being described by Babylon in chapters 17 and 18.
We have already seen two references to Babylon in Revelation even before we get to chapter 17. In Revelation 14:8 we read, “And another angel, a second one, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who has made all the nations drink of the wine of the passion of her immorality.” There Babylon the great was simply introduced and we were told that she had fallen.
Then in Revelation 16:19 we read of the 7th bowl of wrath poured out. “The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath.”
Then in chapter 17 and 18 we have multiple references to Babylon. She is described as a great city – Rev.16:19; 17:18; 18:10.
At the same time she is described as a woman. And not just any woman, but a great harlot – 17:1,3-7.
Now, this is very interesting, because in the book of Revelation there are 2 cities.
- Babylon the Great (the Old Jerusalem) – 17:1,6
- The New Jerusalem – 21:9-10
In the book of Revelation these 2 cities are also 2 women.
- The Great Harlot – 17:1
- The Bride, the Wife of the Lamb – 21:9
Charles Dickens wrote a novel called “A Tale of Two Cities.” Well, in a very real sense, the book of Revelation is also a tale of two cities. But you could also say it is a tale of two women.
Now, it is easy to identify who the New Jerusalem is. We are told specifically in Revelation 21:9-10, that it is the church of Jesus Christ.
This morning I’m going to seek to give answers to two questions:
- Who is the Great Harlot?
- Why the 2 Women in Revelation?
1. Who is the Great Harlot?
But it is not so easy to identify who Babylon is. There have been many suggestions. I will give you the most popular options.
The Futurist: understand Babylon the Great as a world wide false religious system that exerts authority over a final Antichrist just before the second coming of Christ. They think it might be the Roman Catholic church, or a world federation of liberal churches, or perhaps the World Council of Churches. Some futurists believe there are 2 Babylons: the religious Babylon of Revelation 17, and an economic Babylon of chapter 18.
The Idealist: understand Babylon as the world in all its allurements and seduction. John sums up the world as “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.” Thus, Idealists see Babylon the Great as the world throughout history seducing and alluring people away from God.
The Preterist: understand Babylon as either Rome or Jerusalem.
Babylon as Rome:
- 17:18 “the great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.” Rome did reign over the kings of the earth in John’s day.
- Chapter 18: the merchants lament their opportunity of doing business is over. This would make sense in such a huge ancient city. Rome was a big trade city.
- 18:20 “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her.” It is said that Rome is the city that killed the apostles (Paul and Peter by tradition).
Babylon as Jerusalem:
- Jerusalem represents the Old Covenant people of God, but they committed spiritual adultery over and over and thus properly picture a Great Harlot.
Isaiah 1:21 “How the faithful city has become a harlot, she who was full of justice! Righteousness once lodged in her, but now murderers.”
Jer. 2:20 “For long ago I broke your yoke and tore off your bonds; but you said, “I will not serve!’ For on every high hill and under every green tree you have lain down as a harlot.”
Ezek. 16 – God compares Israel to a baby girl that was thrown out into an open field when she was born. But God took care of the little girl, bathed her, clothed her with fine clothing, fed her, and entered into a covenant with her. But when the girl grew up, she trusted in her beauty, and played the harlot on the high places with gross acts of idolatry. She sacrificed her sons and daughters by offering them to idols. 16:25 “You built yourself a high place at the top of every street and made your beauty abominable, and you spread your legs to every passer-by to multiply your harlotry. You also played the harlot with the Egyptians, your lustful neighbors, and multiplied your harlotry to make Me angry.”
It is easy to see how Israel (Jerusalem) could be called the Great Harlot. We have only scratched the surface of the Old Testament texts we could read which describe the Jewish people as spiritual harlots.
Rome could not be compared to a great harlot who was unfaithful to God, because Rome was never married to God or in covenant with God. Israel was. With all of this OT Scripture, John’s readers would have immediately understood Old Jerusalem as the Great Harlot.
- The Great Harlot is also repeatedly called “the great city.” 14:8; 16:19; 17:5; 17:18; 18:10, 16, 18, 19, 21. Well, are we ever told who is this “great city” is in the book of Revelation? Indeed we are. Revelation 11:8 “And the bodies of the two witnesses will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.” We know that the Lord Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem. Therefore, the “great city” is Jerusalem.
- We are repeatedly told that Babylon would fall suddenly. 18:8, 10, 17, 19. Rome did not have a sudden fall. It succumbed to Barbarian invasions over several decades, and crumbled gradually. Jerusalem did fall suddenly. In Jerusalem, the siege itself was 5 months, but the breaching of the walls marked an exact day in which Jerusalem was conquered and fell.
- 17:6 “And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus.” 18:24 “And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth.” 19:2 “He has avenged the blood of His bond-servants on her.” So, whoever Babylon is, she is being judged because of her persecution and murder of the people of God. Well, this is exactly what Jesus taught us concerning Mt.23:29-38. 1 Thess. 2:14-16, “For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out. They are not pleasing to God, but hostile to all men, hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved; with the result that they always fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them to the utmost.”
Of the two possibilities, Rome or Jerusalem, I think Jerusalem fits much better. Rome was not married to Yahweh, so could not be spiritually unfaithful to Him, but Jerusalem was. Rome was not guilty of killing Old Testament prophets, even though Rev. 18:24 says that is what Babylon did; Jerusalem was guilty of killing OT prophets. Rome was not destroyed quickly, but Babylon is said to be overcome in one day and in one hour; Jerusalem was overthrown rapidly. Rome was not burned with fire, but Jerusalem was.
All the evidence points to Jerusalem being represented by Babylon. And since John repeatedly says that the things in this book must soon take place for the time is near, it would make perfect sense for this book to be speaking about this imminent judgment of God to take place in 70 AD.
But why call Jerusalem Babylon?
- Babylon was the enemy of God’s people in the OT; Jerusalem was the enemy of Christians in the NT.
- Babylon had destroyed the first temple. Israel is going to bring about the destruction of Jerusalem because of her unfaithfulness to God.
2. Why Are There Two Women in Revelation?
Why does Revelation include depictions of 2 Women, who are also 2 Cities? I believe it is because God is illustrating the truth that the Old Covenant is obsolete and ready to pass away, and it will be replaced by the New Covenant.
The Harlot, Old Jerusalem represents the unfaithful Jews living under the Old Covenant. They broke the covenant through repeated idolatry, and persecuted God’s prophets. When God sent them their Messiah, His Son, they killed him and persecuted His apostles. Therefore, God sent judgment upon Israel, destroying their holy city and temple, bringing the first covenant to an end. God divorced Israel, and married a new woman – the church.
The Bride, the New Jerusalem represents all God’s true faithful people under the New Covenant. Those who are part of this New Covenant will not break the covenant as Israel did, because God gives them a new heart and puts His spirit within them, writing His laws on their hearts. God makes it impossible to continue the Old Covenant worship by destroying Jerusalem and the temple, obliterating the priesthood and sacrifices. In its place, He raises up His New Covenant people, made up of Jews and Gentiles from every nation under heaven who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh (Phil. 3:3).
Let’s take a look at some passages of Scripture that make all of this clear.
Jeremiah 31:31-34.
- What was true about the Old Covenant? 31:31-32. God instituted it when He delivered the Israelites from Egypt. The Israelites broke the covenant, although God was a husband to them. Marriage is a covenant. Israel was married to God. But Israel broke the covenant by committing spiritual adultery (idolatry). If one of the parties in marriage commits adultery, it breaks the covenant, allowing the innocent party to divorce and remarry. That is what God did, although He was very long suffering and patient, giving Israel century after century to repent. However, when they murdered His Son and His apostles, that was the last straw, and judgment fell.
- What is different about the New Covenant? 31:33-34.
- God puts His law within them and writes it on their hearts. In the Old Covenant, the law was external. Now it is internal.
- All in the New Covenant know the Lord. Under the Old Covenant, some knew the Lord and others didn’t. It was a mixed bag.
- All in the New Covenant are forgiven. Under the Old Covenant, some were forgiven, but others weren’t.
- The New Covenant is a unilateral covenant; the Old Covenant was a bilateral covenant. Notice everything is “I will” and “they shall.” There is “they must.” This New Covenant has only 1 party binding Himself – God Himself. The Old Covenant was a bilateral covenant. Both Israel and God bound themselves. God gives the terms of the Old Covenant in Exodus 19:5, “Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” Israel bound herself to obey God’s voice and keep His covenant. God promised that they would be His own possession among all the peoples, and would be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Because it was a bilateral covenant, and they broke their side of the covenant, God had every right to divorce them and take another wife.
Hebrews 8:8-12 quotes Jer. 31:31-34 verbatim. Then the author does something very interesting. He adds a little postscript. He says in verse 13, “When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.” Hebrews was written before 70 A.D., but the author understood that God was going to put an end to Old Covenant worship. It was already obsolete, but would actually disappear in 70 A.D.
Matthew 21:12-13
Here as soon as Jesus enters Jerusalem, He makes a beeline for the temple, and notices the corruption in it. Instead of it being a house of prayer it had become a robbers’ den. So, what does Jesus do? He cleanses it. He drives out those buying and selling in the temple. But this cleansing of the temple would not last long. Within a generation the sins of Israel had risen so high that would not cleanse it. He would destroy it.
Matthew 21:18-19
Here we have the interesting story of Jesus being hungry, seeing a beautiful fig tree, going to find some fruit, but being disappointed because there was only leaves. So, what does He do? He curses it, and it withers from the roots up. Of course, this was a living parable. The fig tree represented Israel. God came looking for fruit in Israel, but there wasn’t any. There were a lot of leaves. There was a lot of religious machinery going on. There was the priests, temple, sacrifices, scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, but no fruit! So, what will God do? Curse the whole thing! He will bring the Romans into Palestine to destroy the Jews and put an end to the whole corrupt system of worship.
Matthew 21:33-44.
We understand this parable, don’t we? God is the landowner. The vineyard that He planted is Israel. God established Israel as His covenant people, and gave them every privilege and advantage, but He expected them to bring forth fruit. He sent His slaves to collect the fruit. The slaves are God’s prophets, who warned them to repent. However, they beat and killed the slaves. Finally, the landowner sent His Son, thinking they would respect Him. Of course, the Son is Jesus. However, when God sent Jesus, they didn’t respect Him. They murdered Him. So, what will God do? The people said in verse 41, “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end, and will rent out the vineyard to other vine-growers who will pay him the proceeds at the proper seasons.”
Jesus gives His own commentary in verse 43, “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it.” The kingdom of God was going to be taken away from Israel, and given to a people. Who is that people? 1 Peter 2:9-10 says, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession… for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God.” Peter, of course, is writing to the church. He is borrowing language that God gave the Jews under the Old Covenant (people for His own possession, chosen race, royal priesthood, holy nation), and saying all of that applies now to the church. Why? Because the kingdom of God has been taken from Israel and put into the hands of His church, which is His Wife, the Bride, the New Jerusalem.
Matthew 22:1-14
In this parable, the King is God. The king’s son is Jesus. The wedding feast symbolizes the riches and joys of salvation. Those who were first invited who rejected the invitation represent the Jews who rejected Jesus as their Messiah. Then, we have some very interesting details in verses 6 and 7, “and the rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them.” What does that point to? The Jews who mistreated and killed God’s people and the apostles of Christ. Verse 7 says, “But the king was enraged, and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire.” There can be little to no doubt that those words point to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. God did sent His armies, who destroyed the murderers and set Jerusalem on fire.
What I have been trying to show you is that what Revelation is describing in these two women, is something that is taught in the Old Testament, by Jesus Christ, and in the New Testament.
Conclusion
I know we did not make much progress in going through Revelation 17 verse by verse. We will save that for next time. This morning I wanted to help you see the big picture. I want you to see what God has been doing in redemptive history.
The Big Idea I want to leave you with this morning is how grateful we should be for the work of God on our behalf in the New Covenant!
- If you are a Christian, God has removed your heart of stone and given you a heart of flesh, and put His Spirit within you (Ezek. 36:26-27)
- If you are a Christian, God has written His law on your heart.
- If you are a Christian, God has forgiven your iniquity, and your sin He will remember no more. (Jer.31:34)
- If you are a Christian, you are part of a unilateral covenant. God has bound Himself to fulfill the terms of the covenant, and He cannot fail!
- If you are a Christian, you are part of a covenant that cannot be broken. Why not? Because God is the only One who has bound Himself to the terms of the covenant, and He can never fail!
Now, if the ultimate responsibility for this covenant rested on you, you would surely fail and the covenant would be broken. But God will make sure that His New Covenant is successful!
Phil.1:6 “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus”
1 Thess.5:23-24 “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.”
Hebrews 12:2 “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith”
Romans 8:30 “and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”
Romans 8:38 “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
My friends, do you understand how great your privileges are under this New Covenant? Do you understand that you are not the Great Harlot who is unfaithful to God? You are the Bride, the wife of the Lamb, who follows the Lamb wherever He goes.
Now, if that is who we are, then let’s act like it. Sanctification is becoming in practice what you already are in position. Positionally, you are the faithful Bride. So, let’s live like that is true! Let’s love God above all others, and keep ourselves from idols!
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