18:1-3 How are we to define Babylon the Great here?
18:1-3 How are we to define Babylon the Great here?
Babylon the Great here is a literal city existing at the time of the tribulation. It is not referring to Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth which symbolizes the vast apostate religious system of Rev 17, as so many in the church believe.
They are two distinct entities, as scriptures clearly teach (cp Isa 13:1-6, 11-13, 19-22; 47:1-5; Jer 51:5-9 with Rev 14:8; 16:17-21; 18:8-10, 17-19). These scriptures all refer to Babylon as a literal city. In the Old Testament its destruction is prophesied in the "day of the Lord".
This day has not come yet - it begins at the outpouring of God's judgment upon the earth recorded in Rev 6:12 (cp Rev 6:12-17). Babylon will be destroyed by the great earthquake and fire under the seventh vial judgment at the end of the tribulation, prior to Christ's second coming (cp Rev 17:1-6, 12-17).
Here we see Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth, as the symbol of a vast apostate religious system which will be destroyed by the ten kings of the ten future kingdoms in the middle of the tribulation. Clearly scriptures prove that Babylon refers to two distinct entities (see also comments on Rev 17:1-6, 17:7-17 and 17:18).
Babylon the city does not presently exist in the form attributed to it in Rev 18. However, there is no doubt whatever that God's word will be fulfilled, therefore it will be rebuilt before it is destroyed again, according to scripture (cp Zech 5:5-11).
Here we see the future rebuilding of Babylon prophesied by Zechariah - "wickedness" will be built a house in Shinar. Shinar is the land in which Babylon is situated (cp Gen 10:10). The wind in the women's wings, and having wings like the wings of a stork, in Zech 5:9-11, symbolizes the speed with which Babylon will be rebuilt and restored to its former glory. At the time of preparing this study Babylon has been partly rebuilt where it previously stood in the land, once part of Assyria, that is now modern Iraq.
Antichrist will rise up from Assyria, and Babylon will be his seat of government (cp Isa 10:27; 14:24-27; 30:27-31; 31:4-9; Dan 11:36-45; Mic 5:3-6 with Isa 14:3-6 and Rev 17:18). It is not without significance that Babylon was the scene of the first great apostasy against God when Nimrod built the Tower of Babel (cp Gen 10:8-10; 11:1-9).
Babylon will also be the scene of the last great apostasy which will result in its complete and utter destruction. It will be cast down forever, never to be built again (cp Jer 51:24-26, 37-49, 59-64 with Rev 18:21-23).