Babylon the Great
The most powerful human government the planet has ever known is rising to worldwide dominance at the time of this writing (January 13, 2025). That nation and its epicenter is called Babylon the Great (BTG). Its summary tag line definition is “mother of harlots and abominations on the earth”. It is the final permutation of humanity’s efforts to govern itself without respect for and admiration of its Creator/Father. Here’s a brief description:
Revelation 17:3-6
And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness; and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a gold cup full of abominations and of the unclean things of her immorality, 5 and on her forehead a name was written, a mystery, “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” 6 And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered greatly.
This woman sits on a beast which itself represents the major nation governments of the East opposed to the Israel of God down through human history…right up to the end of the age (think the image of Daniel 2 from head to 10 toes). This beast has seven heads which represent, Babylon, Media/Persia, Greece with its four divisions, the Islamic Caliphate, plus an “eighth which is of the seven” (yet to be resurrected Islamic Caliphate with ten horns). The woman completely dominates the end time permutation of this Eastern-based beast (rides on its back), and God calls her “Babylon the Great”. She is greater than Babylon of old, but shares and even exceeds the original anti-God, self-governing spirit. God sees in her the ultimate responsibility for the murder of His people of all nations, tribes, and tongues throughout history. I suspect she is the end time permutation of that great Western power at the time of Christ, the Roman Empire.
Note here that I am not including the Roman Empire in the seven-headed beast, but have listed the Islamic Caliphate instead. Rome only ruled over the Jews until 70 AD because after that date, they were no long residing in Jerusalem. They were banned until 638 AD when the Islamic Caliphates overthrew the Christian overseers of the city. One faction or another of caliphates ruled over the Jews in Jerusalem from 638 until 1917. Therefore it is the better choice for the kingdoms represented in Daniel and Revelation. Rome should not be considered the fourth kingdom of Daniel 2 and 7, nor included as one of the end time heads of the composite beast in Revelation 13. Rome’s modern-day descendant is not a part of the composite Beast of Revelation, but is instead, Babylon the Great. She has had a major role in the persecution of “spiritual” Israel, the Israel of God (Gal. 6:16).
Next we have a further description of the people and governments who are not grounded in a parent/child mind-meld with our Father are described in Revelation chapter 18, where BTG’s nature and behavior come into view.
Revelation 18
Anti-God and Anti-Christ; Immoral and Pleasure-Driven (see also 17:3-6 above)
After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illumined with his glory. 2 And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird. 3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality.”
Arrogant in Her Great Power and Her Immorality
7 To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as a queen and I am not a widow, and will never see mourning.’ 8 For this reason in one day her plagues will come, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for the Lord God who judges her is strong.
The Greatest Consumer-Driven Trading Power on Earth; including Human Trafficking
11 “And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargoes any more— 12 cargoes of gold and silver and precious stones and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet, and every kind of citron wood and every article of ivory and every article made from very costly wood and bronze and iron and marble, 13 and cinnamon and spice and incense and perfume and frankincense and wine and olive oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep, and cargoes of horses and chariots and slaves and human lives… 19 And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea became rich by her wealth, for in one hour she has been laid waste!’
Spirit of BTG Responsible for Killing the People of God throughout History
23 and the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer; and the voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer; for your merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery. 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth.”
It is important to note that the end-time Beast (Antichrist) will hate this harlot and, along with the 10 kings, will destroy her suddenly. This is a classic and the ultimate East vs. West clash. Afterward the Antichrist and his forces will even battle the returning Christ:
Revelation 17:12-18
The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. 13 These have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast. 14 These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.” 15 And he said to me, “The waters which you saw where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues. 16 And the ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and will burn her up with fire. 17 For God has put it in their hearts to execute His purpose by having a common purpose, and by giving their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God will be fulfilled. 18 The woman whom you saw is the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth.”
Before this happens God warns His people:
Revelation 18:4-5
I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues; 5 for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.
The characteristics of Babylon the Great sound a little too familiar for me to ignore. Close allies are surely also within her circle of power and influence and may be included in the judgements against her. Think about it.
