We have seen the history and character of political Babylon, right from its beginnings in the early part of man’s history on this earth. But at the end of the Bible in Revelation 17-18, we have a great religious system which is called “Babylon the great” — a system which is destroyed by the Roman beast and the kingdoms comprising his empire. We may well ask what this system is, and how it comes to be associated with the name of Babylon?
When the Lord Jesus comes for His saints, to take every true believer home to be with Himself, a large void will be left in this world, as millions of people are suddenly taken away. But knowing that this event will occur one day, Satan will be ready, while of course not knowing when the Lord will come. He will have everything in place, thinking that now that the church is gone, he will have everything his own way. One of these plans will be the rise of the Roman beast, and later the Antichrist. But he will also engineer the rise of religious Babylon.
Religious Babylon
Of the rise of religious Babylon, very little is said in the Word of God, for she already exists. Her description shows that she cannot be anything else but papal Rome; her character is depicted in the strongest possible terms, and also her judgment. Her reputation has already been mentioned in two other places in the Word of God (Rev. 14:8, 16:19), but here in the 17th and 18th chapters we have a more complete record of her ways and her final overthrow. Her behavior is so serious that the Lord devotes a good deal of time in detailing her exalted position and subsequent downfall. What then is the awful character of this system?
Her Character
First of all, she assumes a very religious outlook, but with thoroughly worldly associations. More than this, she assumes the position of the true church, and takes the place of being God’s testimony in the earth. She is Satan’s imitation after every true believer has been called away, and she will deceive many. For the first half of the tribulation period — a time of three and a half years, she will actually rule over the political world in the west, for it is recorded that “I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast” (Rev. 17:33So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. (Revelation 17:3)). The Roman beast, the head of the revived Roman Empire, will be ruling the various kingdoms associated with him, but the religious system will in turn rule him, and direct his course, at least for a time. Her pride and self-satisfaction are overwhelming. The woman “sitteth upon many waters,” indicating that she will have widespread influence. Another has put it most aptly, “The revived Roman Empire, with its confederacy of kings, in seeking to overthrow all fear of God and establish the worship of the image of the beast, will apparently find in the corrupt Papacy a ready instrument to attain these evil ends, for this evil system is, and always has been, marked by the grossest idolatry.”
Persecution
Secondly, she will be a strong persecutor of the godly ones in that day, as she has persecuted the true saints of God down through the ages. Anything that is left at that time, which claims any profession of Christianity, will be part of “Babylon the great,” and will take part in the whole evil system. Any who oppose her will be savagely persecuted, as were the people of God for hundreds of years under papal Rome.
Riches
Thirdly, the system will be fabulously rich. The Papal system has always been noted for its wealth, and more than once in the past has been the object of avarice and ultimate plunder by civil authorities. Perhaps the most glaring example of this was in England in the years 1536-1541, when Henry VIII carried out what was called “the dissolution of the monasteries.” During this time, he disbanded monasteries, convents, and priories, appropriating their assets and income. It seems, however, that the wealth of this religious system will reach a zenith during the tribulation period, for not only will she be a religious organization, but will also be characterized as a city, heavily involved in commercial activities. The catalyst for all this may be the rapture of the church, again leaving a void that Satan will quickly fill. It is a sad commentary on evangelical Christendom today that many of its religious leaders, although true believers, are staggeringly rich, some with a net worth into the millions of dollars. Here in Revelation 17-18, this false system is not only wealthy, but is evidently immersed in world-wide business. When she is overthrown, much of the world’s commerce will be adversely affected. How all this will happen we cannot be sure, but again, it seems that momentous changes will take place in a short time after the church is called home.
Her Overthrow
Her overthrow comes about when the political system of the Beast tires of the tyranny of “the woman” who rides upon and directs it, and overthrows her. We read concerning the civil powers — the kingdom of the beast, that “these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire” (Rev. 17:1616And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. (Revelation 17:16)). This will likely happen about the middle of the tribulation period, and will pave the way for another strong religious leader, the antichrist. While it is the political system that destroys the woman, with all her commerce, it is clearly the Lord’s will, for we read, “She shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her” (Rev. 18:88Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. (Revelation 18:8)). Many will mourn over her, for the fall of this system will have a tremendous effect on trade, and the merchandise in which she was involved will no longer be available. Yet such will be the hatred against that system, that she will be totally destroyed, in spite of the resultant loss of costly goods. But more than trade and commerce will suffer. Along with the destruction of business, orderly family life and craftsmanship will be disrupted, and even the arts such as music, will be “heard no more at all in thee” (Rev. 18:2222And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; (Revelation 18:22)).
What is most solemn, however, is that among all of the commodities with which she traded, we find “the souls of men” (Rev. 18:1313And cinnamon, and odors, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. (Revelation 18:13)). It is noteworthy that they are at the bottom of the list, showing no doubt that men and their eternal welfare are traded around like material goods and animals, and are of the last importance.
Her Character
When we see from these chapters the real character of this religious system, it is not hard to see why God has applied the name Babylon to it, whether as the woman who controls the temporal power, or as the city that controls trade and commerce. Right from the beginning Babylon was noted for its pride, its wealth, its rejection of God’s claims, and the persecution of the people of God. All of this reaches its peak in a religious system — the final state of Christendom when all that is true has been taken out of it at the rapture.
God’s Witnesses
However, God will not leave Himself without witness. Although every true believer will be safely at home with Christ by the time all this takes place, there will be those godly Jews who will preach the gospel of the kingdom, and those who will believe their message. They will stand for the Lord’s claims during that awful time, and the command to them is, “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues” (Rev. 18:44And 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. (Revelation 18:4)). Separation from evil has always been God’s principle of holiness in this world, and He will have His saints during this time, who are called upon to sever any connections with this corrupt organization. Only in this way will they be preserved, and avoid the judgment that falls on that which is so abhorrent to God.
While the time has not yet come about for all this to happen, yet the same voice is a warning to us in this day of God’s grace, as we see the beginnings of all these things in our world. The character of Babylon is fast overtaking Christendom, as we see outright godlessness, luxury, and pride blatantly associated with the name of Christ. The only way to be faithful to the Lord, and to be a testimony to this world, is to separate from it, whatever the cost.
W. J. Prost