MYSTIC BABYLON, THE GREAT HARLOT

Isaiah 1:21• “See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice;

righteousness used to dwell in her-- but now murderers!”

Jeremiah• 2:20 "For of old I have broken your yoke

and burst your bonds; And you said, 'I will not transgress,' When on every high hill and under every green tree You lay down, playing the harlot”

• 3:1 "They say, 'If a man divorces his wife, And she goes from him And becomes another man's, May he return to her again?' Would not that land be greatly polluted? But you have played the harlot with many lovers; Yet return to Me," says the LORD.”

Jeremiah

• 3:8 "Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the harlot also.”

Rev 17:1

• ‘great whore’ – ‘harlot’

• Greek = porneis

• Morally speaking one of the lowest class of people, also associated with tax collectors [publicans]

Symbol of spiritual Apostasy

• Q. 1) God’s final three-point message of love and mercy is being taken to the entire world in our day, Revelation 14:6-12. What is the second part of that message?

–Revelation 14:8

–“BABYL0N is FALLEN.”

Symbol of spiritual Apostasy

• Q. 2) What is God’s command regarding Babylon, and to whom is it given?

–Revelation 18:3

–“Come OUT of her MY people.”

Symbol of spiritual Apostasy

• 3) Some say that Babylon refers to the literal Biblical city of Babylon restored. What does the Bible say regarding this?–Isaiah 13:19-21–“And Babylon…shall

never be INHABITED.”

Symbol of spiritual Apostasy• 4) What reasons does God give

for telling His people to come out of Babylon?–Revelation 18: 2 - 5–Babylon is become the habitation of DEVILS

–Babylon is become the hold of every foul SPIRIT

• All nations have drunk of her WINE

• Kings of earth have committed FORNICATION with her

• That you be not PARTAKERS of her SINS

• That you receive not her PLAGUES

• Her sins have reached unto HEAVEN

• God has remembered her INIQUITIES

Symbol of spiritual Apostasy

• Q. 5) Under what symbolism does God picture Babylon in Revelation 17:1-5?

–A WHORE riding a BEAST

Symbol of spiritual Apostasy

• 6) What is “Babylon the great” called in Revelation 17:5?

–“The mother of HARLOTS.”

A Universal Religious System

• 7) Let us review other evidence that “Babylon” refers to the papacy.–A. Beast she rides is same as that in

Rev. 13:1 – Papacy.–B. She persecutes as did the beast of

Rev. 13.–C. Rev 17:18 says she is the power of

Babylon that was ruling in John’s day – Rome. Papal Rome assumed Pagan Rome’s authority and power.

A Universal Religious System

• Q. 8) What is the source of the name “Babylon”?

–Genesis 10:9,10: Genesis 11:5-9

–“Therefore is the NAME of it called BABEL because the Lord did there CONFOUND the LANGUAGE of all the EARTH.”

BABYLON

Founded by Nimrod (Gen 10:10; 11:1-9)

Bab-ilu (Babylonian = ‘gate of gods’)

Hebrews derogatorily associated it with Balal = ‘confuse’

Babylon is a symbol of EVIL

Jerusalem is a symbol of GOOD

Time of John = Imperial Rome – 1 Pet 5:13 [next slide]

•1 Peter 5:13

•“The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you,

saluteth you…”

The word “Babylon” (from “Babel”) means confusion.

False Doctrine Intoxicates

• Q. 9) What is it that causes the confusion of spiritual Babylon?

–Revelation 17:2,4; 18:3–“The inhabitants of the EARTH have been made DRUNK with the WINE of her fornication.” next slide

17:2

• ‘made drunk’

• A harlot LURES one astray. The people turned away from God’s word to commit adultery with Satan.

• ‘drunk’ = powers of reasoning ‘numbed’– Therefore led astray (Matt 24:24,25)

– Next question ….

False Doctrine Intoxicates • Q. 10) In Revelation 14:8, what

specific reason does God give for punishing Babylon and calling people out?

–“Because she MADE all nations DRINK of the WINE of the wrath of her FORNICATION.”

False Doctrine Intoxicates • Q. 11) What are some of Babylon’s

teachings (wine) that are unscriptural and thus bring confusion and make people spiritually drunk?

• A. Ten commandments not binding.• B. Sunday sacredness• C. Second chance• D. Secret rapture• E. Eternal torment• F. Immortality• G. Counterfeit baptism

Papacy- Past, Present and Future

• Q. 12) How does God describe the beast in Revelation 17:8?

–“The beast that WAS, and is NOT and yet IS.”

Revelation 20:1-3• Then I saw an angel coming down from

heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.

Revelation 13:3

• “And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.”

Papacy- Past, Present and Future

• Q. 13) A mountain in prophecy represents a king or nation (see Jeremiah 51:24-25). What nation or powers are represented by the seven mountains of Revelation 17: 9-11?

–“The seven HEADS are seven mountains, on which the WOMAN sits.”

7 heads = 7 mountains

• Rome = ‘city of 7 hills’ Jer 51:24,25

• On Rome the woman sits. Therefore she has CONTROL.

• Verse three tells us she sits on the BEAST

• Beast therefore supports her and she controls the beast

Revelation 17:9-12• FIVE ARE FALLEN

• Five what? Verse 10 tells us Kings.

• What about this idea?– Augustus– Tiberius– Caligula– Claudius– Nero

FIVE FALLEN

Vespasian – One is

Titus – One to Come

Nero (reborn) – 8th

Try this!• EGYPT ASSYRIA BABYLON

• PERSIA GREECE

• ROME – one is..

• Division of Rome – one to come…

• Beast (?) - 8th

Or this…

FIVE FALLEN

• BABYLON

• PERSIA

• GREECE

• ROME (imperial)

• ROME (papal)

One is = wounded Christian Rome

One to come = Christian Rome revived

8th = beast, when the 10 horns

support

Papacy- Past, Present and Future

• Q. 14) What do the ten horns represent?

–Revelation 17:12

–“The ten HORNS are ten KINGS.”

10 Horns

• 17:12,13

• 10 horns = Europe (Dan 2)

• In John’s day these 10 had not yet come.

• No crowns – a time when monarchies are out of fashion. Since 1914 over 200 royalties have abdicated.

Fallen Churches Refuse Reform

• Q. 15) “The power is gone,” they say. What is the reason?

–Revelation 14:8

–“Babylon is FALLEN.”

Fallen Churches Refuse Reform

• Q. 16) Some feel we should try to reform the churches that have fallen. What does God say?

–Revelation 18:4

–“Come OUT of HER my people that you receive NOT of her PLAGUES.”

Fallen Churches Refuse Reform• Q. 17) God calls Christian people who are

living in Babylon “my people”, Rev. 18:4. Jesus refers to Christian people who are not in His church as “other sheep”. What does Jesus say will happen to His “other sheep” that are not yet in His fold?

–John 10:16

–“Them also I must BRING, and they shall HEAR my VOICE; and there shall be ONE fold, and ONE shepherd.”

GOD’S TRUE CHURCH TODAY• Q. 18) In Noah’s day those who were to

be saved had to enter the ark. Believing was not enough! In Jesus’ day those who were to be saved had to enter Jesus’ fold. After being called out of Babylon, what must we enter today if we would be saved?

–Acts 2:47

–“And the Lord ADDED to the CHURCH daily such as SHOULD be SAVED.”

GOD’S TRUE CHURCH TODAY

• Q. 19) If I remain in Babylon, how will God count me, and what does He say will happen to me?

–Revelation 18:4

–I will partake of her SINS; and receive of her PLAGUES.

In Noah’s day, only 8 eight entered the ark which God provided to save them.Today our ark of safety is the church. Will you come into this ark of safety?

• Q. 20) What will your decision be?

Lesson 21 – Quiz

• 1. ______________ is a symbol in Revelation which means religious CONFUSION.

• 2. ______________ represents churches fallen from grace, not willing to accept reformation.

• 3. Knowing that the fallen churches (Babylon) have no desire to reform, God calls His ______________ out of them.

Lesson 21 – Quiz continued

• 4. Revelation pictures Babylon in symbolism as a woman riding on a ______________.

• 5. God is calling His people out of Babylon into His true church of these last days so they can overcome sin in their lives, be protected from the ______________ and live with Him forever.

Lesson 21 – Quiz

• 1. ______________ is a symbol in Revelation which means religious CONFUSION.

• 2. ______________ represents churches fallen from grace, not willing to accept reformation.

• 3. Knowing that the fallen churches (Babylon) have no desire to reform, God calls His ______________ out of them.

BABYLON

BABYLON

PEOPLE

Lesson 21 – Quiz continued

• 4. Revelation pictures Babylon in symbolism as a woman riding on a ______________.

• 5. God is calling His people out of Babylon into His true church of these last days so they can overcome sin in their lives, be protected from the ______________ and live with Him forever.

BEAST

PLAGUES