“Babylon” was literally an ancient city (located a little southwest of present day Baghdad, Iraq), a broader kingdom/empire, and symbolically a descriptor/label for the wicked/the worldly of all generations in all places for those people who choose the things of this world over the things of God.
It can be reference to Jerusalem.
I am convinced that the prophetic Babylon of the near future is also the City of Seven Hills, as Jesus states in Rev 17:9. Jerusalem never was the city that ruled the kings of the earth, Rev. 17:18. It is the home of the only church that is a sovereign nation, and with whom the major nations of the earth exchange ambassadors even today.
Some, if not many of those very nations would refuse to accept Israel’s declaration that Jerusalem is its national capital and would refuse to locate their embassies there. Indeed, they would happily vote to “internationalize” Jerusalem and send in “peace-keeping” soldiers if necessary to enforce their vote.
Nobody is talking about doing that to the sovereign nation of Vatican City.
“Babylon the Great” represents “worldly” culture that has rejected the true God for materialism, affluence and comfort. It is not a literal single city, but any place with an idolatrous materialistic character and worldview.
Also, the “harlot” is not a literal person, but she represents a culture and people that are obsessed with pleasure and sensuality and have rejected the Lord.
Both are alive and well in the world today.
No. Supercessionism is sick.
This would mean that Peter wrote his first epistle from Jerusalem and not Rome or the real Babylon.
1 Peter 5:13 The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son.
Babylon is symbolic of Man’s effort to replace or overthrow God.
Just like Satan’s sin was pride and trying to exhale himself above God, Mankind has tried the same thing.
Since Mankind would have been successful in believing it had replaced God, God decided to confuses the languages.
As to the actual city, in different times, this will actually be a different place.
Jerusalem? No. Why? Because God has a special place for Jerusalem, not based on it’s or it’s inhabitant’s behavior. Once God makes a promise, it’s done.
And no, God cannot make mistakes, he has not replaced the Jews or Jerusalem. We must wait on his timing.
>> “Was “Babylon The Great” a Symbolic Name for Jerusalem?” <<
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No, definitely not.
“That Great city called Sodom and Egypt, wherein our Savior was crucified...” (Rev 11)
Babylon is the Biblical name of Satan’s global system, that he has nurtured since Cain was cast out to the wilderness.
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The catholic church is the ecclesiastical branch of Mystery Babylon. (there are two separate operational branches to Babylon, as pointed out by Alexander Hislop; that is why Isaiah prophesied “Mystery Babylon is fallen is fallen.” There will be two separate falls, centered on two separate cities.)
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Rev 17
1
And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
How could it be said that Jerusalem sit up on many waters?
They have a big problem staying in control of their own land.
2
With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
In times past the Church shared power with many kings and in some cases even controlled them.
3
So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4
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:
Golden cup? wine? communion?
5
And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth.
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.
Does it read that the blood of the saints was on her hands? no, it says she was drunken with the blood of the saints.
Could it be she was falsely representing the saints and therefore drunken (figuratively speaking) on the blood that they shed?
Was she drinking from the golden communion cup unworthily?.
While it is true that Rome itself sits on and around the seven hills and was surrounded by a wall the Vatican is in Rome.
The mother Church and her daughters are the only ones that fit the bill, we can see a lot just by reading a little history.
rev 18
4
And I heard 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.
Who is God talking to here? he says my people, are we who are reading his word and wondering about it his people? i think so.
Why would he be telling his people to come out of Israel, or parts of the Muslim world? why would he feel the need to?
He is telling us to come out of something we love and even worship.
I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
The Church and her daughters are all over the world, many waters which represent multitudes of people.
The word Babylon means confusion, and God is not the author or maker of confusion. Check out Ezekiel 16, the whole chapter regarding what the Heavenly Father had to say about Jerusalem.
Jesus Christ will reign from Jerusalem in the future and as the holy city, it is witten about more than other cities in Scripture.
Rev discusses a New Jerusalem descending from heaven.
Babylon the Great is described as being destroyed and never to be rebuilt.
FWIW, considering Saddam Hussein was rebuilding ancient Babylon, it is probably more likely that other world centers of power are destroyed and Babylon is rebuilt as a center of worldly power prior to the Great Tribulation. Also considering an army of demons is loosed from this vicinity, I suspect it also becomes a center of satanic worship.
Babylon was not only a city, but also a state/nation...not only a religious center but also political, economic...
And Babylon has had one ruler through time..
The physical or spiritual Babylons of todays all have Satan as their god too..
And yup, Jerusalem is in there.. so is Rome, NYC, DC, the list is exhaustive...
The religious, political and economic centers throughout this world are not Messiah led...
And some cities/states/nations claim to be followers of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And they are not..
So, yup, Jerusalem could be considered one in this age too..they certainly seem to think america should have any say in what they should do with their land or neighbors - that is proof enough for me considering I don’t see how America isn’t a Babylonian country in our own right...
Pick any city/state/nation with any religious, political and economic clout in this world today and they are under the control of the god of this world., not the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob..
Ezekiel 23:1-4
1. And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
2. Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother:
3. And they committed harlotry in Egypt; they committed harlotry in their youth; there were their breasts pressed, and there was her virgin bosom handled:
4. And their names were Aholah the elder, and Aholibah her sister; and they were mine, and they bore sons and daughters; Thus were their names; Samaria is Aholah, and Jerusalem Aholibah:
Aholibah:
אָ הֳ לִ י בָ ה
אהיה ...
Ex 3.13-14
13. And Moses said to God, Behold, when I come to the people of Israel, and shall say to them, The God of your fathers has sent me to you; and they shall say to me, What is his name, what shall I say to them:
14. And God said to Moses, I AM THAT I AM; and he said, Thus shall you say to the people of Israel, I AM has sent me to you:
I AM = אהיה
in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there.
the daughters of one mother
Rev 17.5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.