Who is Mystery Babylon? Is there a connection between the Israel-Iran conflict and Revelation 17 & 18? In our last three posts, we went into great detail to identify the two major characters in Revelation 13: the beast from the sea and the beast from the earth. We noted the beast from the sea is an international governmental system that reaches its zenith of influence in the last days. We also noted the beast from the earth is an individual who will be adjacent to government, persuasive and inspiring, technologically astute, and a facilitator of biotechnological advances. In this post, we investigate Revelation 17-18 in which a mysterious woman is seated above the beast from the sea. The woman is known as "the Great City." As the world faces the the threat of expanding wars, we consider who might that city be today?
Revelation 17:1-2 (Amplified Bible): “Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here, I will show you the judgment and doom of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters [influencing nations], she with whom the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality, and the inhabitants of the earth have become intoxicated with the wine of her immorality.”
The Woman Controls the Beast
In Revelation 17, we return to our image of the beast from the sea, an international governmental system that reaches its zenith of influence in the last days. The Apostle John’s vision also now introduces a new character—a woman, a great prostitute who sits on that same scarlet beast atop many waters, indicating her influence over those waters (people, nations, and cultures). Revelation 13:7 says that this beast “carries” this woman. When we think of an animal carrying a person, it denotes that the person is in control of the animal. The person steers and directs the animal and determines when and where it moves. It also denotes that the animal’s strength and energy serves as an asset to and is employed in service of the person who controls it. So this woman not only has influence over the nations of people, but she also has power over those nations’ governments.
Consequently, what this interpretation of the verse indicates to us is that in the last days, this woman will have directing, leading influence over the end times international government system and the people who are a part of that system. The resources of that international system (financial, military, and personnel) are all also under that great city’s control. Now let’s keep reading further.
Revelation 17:4 (Amplified Bible): “The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold, precious stones and pearls, [and she was] holding in her hand a gold cup full of the abominations and the filth of her [sexual] immorality.”
Scripture and Parallels
One thing to note about prophetic scripture is that it typically explains itself when it comes to key figures and themes. Usually when prophets have a significant vision or dream, the meaning of primary characters in those visions or dreams are explained either in the same chapter or shortly after. In other parts of scripture, we can often identify parallels between visions or prophecies seen in the Old Testament and those in the New Testament, signifying that these different reports are speaking about the same events.
We must use the context of a given verse and its parallels with other verses to decode the meanings of what we don’t readily understand. We must consider the principle that “out of the mouth of two or three witnesses, a thing is established.” In other words, the witness of other verses will confirm the meaning of the verse we seek to understand.
Decoding the Mystery
Is the Woman a Church?
Some end-times (eschatology) scholars have tried to assert that a “woman” in prophecy (in Revelation 17 and elsewhere) always refers to a church because of the symbolism in Ephesians 5. This is not true, because the two sisters in Ezekiel 23 represent the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Additionally, Revelation 12 refers to a woman who gives birth to the male Child (Jesus) who will rule all nations with a rod of iron (a reference to Psalm 2:9). That Rev 12 woman is Israel. We know the Revelation 12 woman represents Israel because of the 12-star garland (representing Israel’s 12 tribes) around her head and because her Israelite Child, Jesus–who rules all nations–was caught up to God and His throne (ascended after resurrection). That woman is also persecuted by the dragon, whom we know is Satan.
So, back to our Revelation 17 woman who rides the beast. Whenever scripture speaks of a mystery, it denotes that the true nature of something is not as it appears—it is hidden and must be decoded. This woman’s title of Mystery Babylon indicates that she doesn’t readily look like Babylon to the casual viewer and she doesn’t call herself that. She looks like something else. What then—or who does she look like? Verse four tells us. We also see further discussion of her garments in Revelation 18:16. Let’s consider them.
Revelation 17:4-5 says the woman who rides the beast was “arrayed in purple and scarlet and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication.” She is called “Mystery Babylon, the great mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth.”
A Tale of Two Women
The Revelation 17 woman wears purple and scarlet—the Greek text calls it “bluish red” and scarlet. She is also adorned with gold, precious stones and pearls. Revelation 18:16 also says she was clothed in fine linen. Where else in scripture have we heard of adornments of bluish red/purple & scarlet fabric and gold? We see it in the tabernacle and the temple of The Most High God. We see these elements mentioned in Exodus and 2 Chronicles when the Lord gave the Israelites instructions on how to build and decorate His temple. In Leviticus 16, we also see linen mentioned as a priestly garments worn by the Levite men of Israel.
Ok. Well that’s weird. We know we have the woman in Revelation 12 who is Israel and we know she is hated by the dragon (Satan) and targeted for attack by him, so why is the Revelation 17 woman who rides the beast—which gets its power, seat, and authority from the dragon—wearing the adornments that look like the colors of The Most High’s temple?
But let’s go yet another step further, there is someone else in scripture who is adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls. Who might it be? Let’s quickly find out. In Revelation 21, the holy city, New Jerusalem—the Lamb (Jesus)’s wife, is arrayed this way.
The Whore Impersonates the Bride
Look at how the bride New Jerusalem is described in Revelation 21. She also is called the “great city” having the glory of God. Her light is like a most precious stone. Her walls are adorned with all kinds of precious stones like jasper, emerald, beryl…Her gates are twelve pearls. Her streets are pure gold.
Revelation 19:8 And to her—this woman, the Lamb’s wife—it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
So what does all this mean? It appears we have an imposter situation. This woman who rides the beast is pretending to be the woman of Revelation 12. She is dressing like her but does not share her character. Let’s go another step further and let scripture interpret itself once more.
In Revelation 2:9 and 3:9, we have the words of Jesus Himself speaking messages to the ministers of seven churches. To the church in Smyrna, and in Philadelphia, he mentions a particular group of imposters called “the Synagogue of Satan” who claim to be Jews but are not. The only other group we have seen in scripture who appears and dresses like Israel but is not her is the woman in Revelation 13. We also know, like this Revelation 2:9 group, the woman also is associated with blasphemy; she sits on a beast full of blasphemous names.
Revelation 2:9: “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.”
Revelation 3:9: “Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.”
The conclusion we must draw from all this is that in the last days, there will be a great city, who exercises unusual control and influence over the international government system and the world leaders of the day. Those leaders will assist that city by offering it their resources, military strength, and financial provision. The system calls itself and adorns itself with the title of God’s people, but in reality, it will be an agent for the agenda of Satan’s kingdom. By what name might that great city be called today?
One last puzzle piece for today. As we observe the war currently going on between Israel and Iran, I want us to consider the final portion of Revelation 17.
Revelation 17:15-18 “Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.”
This scripture passage says to us that in the last days, the ten final end times ruling leaders in the international governing system will hate the woman who rides the beast. They will make her desolate (barren, uninhabited/uninhabitable, a wasteland). They will also make her naked (expose her – possibly in terms of corruption or hypocrisy) and burn her with fire. The use of fire here may imply instruments of modern, like missiles, drones, and rockets.
I again remind you of the alleged Albert Pike Three World Wars plan that we shared in Pt. I of this series. Decide for yourself if this third war sounds like the current timeline we are living in, with regard to Revelation 17.
NOTICE: **We do not condone the use of this information or any of our other posts to justify discrimination, hatred, violence, or maltreatment against any people groups, nations, or individuals. As believers in Jesus Christ, we believe all humans are made in the image of God and are deserving of basic respect and are eligible to receive salvation by grace through faith in Christ.
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