WHO OR WHAT IS BABYLON
By W. G. Guy
Many preachers prognosticate on who or what is the Babylon that is referred to in numerous places in scripture; particularly in the Book of Revelation where it is mentioned several times where the LORD judges and destroys it. Some say Babylon refers to America, others say it is New York City; still others say it may be the revived ancient city in Iraq. Some say that it is the city of Rome and the Roman Catholic Church.
I prefer to let scripture explain scripture. In so doing I have determined that Babylon is a term that describes the system of government by corrupt and sinful mankind. This system is not only national and local governments, but is also all that sinful man endeavors, leads, manages and governs. This includes all institutions of corrupt mankind: besides government, it includes business, industry, education, military, finance and even religion. Yes, even churches as indicated in -
Revelation 17:5-6 – and upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 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.
(Note: The Roman Church is called “mystery” Babylon because of its mystic propensity and superstition. Also, corrupt governments, and the corrupt Roman Catholic Church, have caused or destroyed more humanity in this world than any disease or other cause of death – see FOXE’S BOOK OF MARTYRS.)
How can Babylon be so inclusive of every form of man’s leadership? Let scripture explain: God gave Nebuchadnezzar, the king of ancient Babylon, a dream of an image, and this dream was very significant and troubling to the king.
Daniel 2:32-34 – This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, his legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
Daniel was the only one who could interpret the dream as God showed him the meaning of it to Daniel which revealed all the course of governments, (which included all institutions of mankind), until the coming of Jesus Christ to set up His kingdom; when the government shall be upon His shoulders.
Isaiah 9:6-7 – For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
We need to understand just what this image Nebuchadnezzar saw actually represents. The head of gold was representative of the Babylonian Empire. As being the head of gold, it is the main source of man’s influence that flows through all succeeding governments. This empire was short lived, lasting less that one hundred years before it was subdued by the Persian Empire. Consider that each successive empire descended from the previous one and was actually an extension of the corruption and evil sin nature of mankind that was in each following one.
The final empire, which was a derivative of all the ones that preceded it, has within it the roots of ancient Babylon – man’s sin and corruption which has to be eliminated before a just and perfect form of leadership (government) can be established. This will be the Kingdom, of God ruled by Jesus Christ – the Rock that destroyed the entire image.
Revelation 14:6-8 – And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication (sin and corruption).
Many preachers of end-time events say that the Roman Empire must be revived or restored. No it doesn’t, because it never ceased to exist. The political nation of Rome was never defeated or overthrown as were its predecessors. Rome simply changed from being a political entity to a religious entity when the Roman Catholic Church took control; when the Popes then took the place of the Caesars and ruled over the kings of the world. This is the religious Babylon of Revelation 17:5 listed above.
Thus Babylon represents the system of leadership and government of sinful man over all that man controls! Babylon is the worldly system that is run by mankind; this includes the churches that man has built, (see my Book THE OTHER CHURCH - https://www.wgguybibleteacher.com/). Sinful man’s control and domination is coming to an end when the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, returns to establish His Holy and Righteous Kingdom here on earth.
God will judge and destroy man’s current corrupt government with its leadership along with all that is sinful and contrary to God and His Word.
Revelation 16:17-19 – And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great (ancient) Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
Revelation 18 deals specifically with Babylon, as God remembered the head of gold of Nebuchadnezzar’s image: and Babylon is referred to as a city because it is where mankind dwells, and where man’s dominion in governing is in effect.
Jesus is coming to rule and reign on earth during the seventh millennium, (the Sabbath millennium). Please recognize that God gave dominion over the earth to man (Adam).
Genesis 1:26 – And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Psalms 115: 16 – The heaven, even the heavens are the LORD’S: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.
Mankind lost that delegated dominion over the earth due to sin, this is when Satan gained control and became the god of this world, having corrupted mankind to be described as the character of Babylon.
2 Corinthians 4:3 – But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
Jesus, the last Adam, the second man that came from God, came to restore man’s dominion over the earth, to be exactly as God originally intended. Jesus fulfills God’s total plan of redemption of mankind establishing God’s kingdom domain here on earth.
Revelation 18:2-3 – And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
The corruption of the Babylonian system in all of its forms will be destroyed! It has contained all forms of evil that have manifested in the earth in which corrupt and sinful mankind has relished. So Babylon is mankind’s corrupt system of governments and leadership!
Matthew 6:10 – Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. AMEN!
Visit www.victoriouslivingbiblestudy.com To gain deeper knowledge of the Bible and God’s love for you.
My new book THE OTHER CHURCH is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, as an ebook and in book stores by request, or visit
https://www.wgguybibleteacher.com/
By W. G. Guy
Many preachers prognosticate on who or what is the Babylon that is referred to in numerous places in scripture; particularly in the Book of Revelation where it is mentioned several times where the LORD judges and destroys it. Some say Babylon refers to America, others say it is New York City; still others say it may be the revived ancient city in Iraq. Some say that it is the city of Rome and the Roman Catholic Church.
I prefer to let scripture explain scripture. In so doing I have determined that Babylon is a term that describes the system of government by corrupt and sinful mankind. This system is not only national and local governments, but is also all that sinful man endeavors, leads, manages and governs. This includes all institutions of corrupt mankind: besides government, it includes business, industry, education, military, finance and even religion. Yes, even churches as indicated in -
Revelation 17:5-6 – and upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 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.
(Note: The Roman Church is called “mystery” Babylon because of its mystic propensity and superstition. Also, corrupt governments, and the corrupt Roman Catholic Church, have caused or destroyed more humanity in this world than any disease or other cause of death – see FOXE’S BOOK OF MARTYRS.)
How can Babylon be so inclusive of every form of man’s leadership? Let scripture explain: God gave Nebuchadnezzar, the king of ancient Babylon, a dream of an image, and this dream was very significant and troubling to the king.
Daniel 2:32-34 – This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, his legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
Daniel was the only one who could interpret the dream as God showed him the meaning of it to Daniel which revealed all the course of governments, (which included all institutions of mankind), until the coming of Jesus Christ to set up His kingdom; when the government shall be upon His shoulders.
Isaiah 9:6-7 – For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
We need to understand just what this image Nebuchadnezzar saw actually represents. The head of gold was representative of the Babylonian Empire. As being the head of gold, it is the main source of man’s influence that flows through all succeeding governments. This empire was short lived, lasting less that one hundred years before it was subdued by the Persian Empire. Consider that each successive empire descended from the previous one and was actually an extension of the corruption and evil sin nature of mankind that was in each following one.
The final empire, which was a derivative of all the ones that preceded it, has within it the roots of ancient Babylon – man’s sin and corruption which has to be eliminated before a just and perfect form of leadership (government) can be established. This will be the Kingdom, of God ruled by Jesus Christ – the Rock that destroyed the entire image.
Revelation 14:6-8 – And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication (sin and corruption).
Many preachers of end-time events say that the Roman Empire must be revived or restored. No it doesn’t, because it never ceased to exist. The political nation of Rome was never defeated or overthrown as were its predecessors. Rome simply changed from being a political entity to a religious entity when the Roman Catholic Church took control; when the Popes then took the place of the Caesars and ruled over the kings of the world. This is the religious Babylon of Revelation 17:5 listed above.
Thus Babylon represents the system of leadership and government of sinful man over all that man controls! Babylon is the worldly system that is run by mankind; this includes the churches that man has built, (see my Book THE OTHER CHURCH - https://www.wgguybibleteacher.com/). Sinful man’s control and domination is coming to an end when the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, returns to establish His Holy and Righteous Kingdom here on earth.
God will judge and destroy man’s current corrupt government with its leadership along with all that is sinful and contrary to God and His Word.
Revelation 16:17-19 – And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great (ancient) Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
Revelation 18 deals specifically with Babylon, as God remembered the head of gold of Nebuchadnezzar’s image: and Babylon is referred to as a city because it is where mankind dwells, and where man’s dominion in governing is in effect.
Jesus is coming to rule and reign on earth during the seventh millennium, (the Sabbath millennium). Please recognize that God gave dominion over the earth to man (Adam).
Genesis 1:26 – And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Psalms 115: 16 – The heaven, even the heavens are the LORD’S: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.
Mankind lost that delegated dominion over the earth due to sin, this is when Satan gained control and became the god of this world, having corrupted mankind to be described as the character of Babylon.
2 Corinthians 4:3 – But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
Jesus, the last Adam, the second man that came from God, came to restore man’s dominion over the earth, to be exactly as God originally intended. Jesus fulfills God’s total plan of redemption of mankind establishing God’s kingdom domain here on earth.
Revelation 18:2-3 – And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
The corruption of the Babylonian system in all of its forms will be destroyed! It has contained all forms of evil that have manifested in the earth in which corrupt and sinful mankind has relished. So Babylon is mankind’s corrupt system of governments and leadership!
Matthew 6:10 – Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. AMEN!
Visit www.victoriouslivingbiblestudy.com To gain deeper knowledge of the Bible and God’s love for you.
My new book THE OTHER CHURCH is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, as an ebook and in book stores by request, or visit
https://www.wgguybibleteacher.com/
