Babylon

The woman 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. And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.—Revelation 17:4-6

The focus of Revelation 17 & 18 is God’s judgment upon a religious system that has persecuted those who put their trust in Jesus during the tribulation hour. Remember, there is going to be a great harvest during the tribulation hour. Many will be martyred for their faith. This chapter is a victory for those who will have been martyred for God will destroy the head of this religious system in one hour. It will be a judgment of fire. The martyrs are encouraged to rejoice because God has avenged them. Revelation 18:20,24 says,

“Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!” And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth.”

So who is MYSTERY BABYLON? Here are a list of clues as to the identity of Babylon. Keep in mind that the Prophets of the Bible identifies Babylon in Iraq and the daughter of Babylon in Arabia (today’s Saudi Arabia). So we must turn our attention toward the Middle East.

She seduces the nations with a false religion—Revelation 17:1-2
I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication (false religion), and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

She is located in a wilderness area—Revelation 17:3a
So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness (desert area).

She cooperates with the anti-Christ’s political system—Revelation 17:3
I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns (the anti-Christ’s political system).

She has great wealth—Revelation 17:4
The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls…

She murdered believers during the tribulation hour—Revelation 17:6 NKJV
I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.

She is located in the midst of seven mountains—Revelation 17:9 NKJV
Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains (Mecca, Saudi Arabia) on which the woman sits.

She has influence over many nations—Revelation 17:15 The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. (Islam’s influence today)

The woman is a city which has control over political leaders—Revelation 17:18
The woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.

She brought religious deception to many nations—Revelation 18:3a
For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication (false religion) with her.

She made many rich—Revelations 18:3b
The merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury. (Q: What commodity has brought wealth to nations in our day? A: Oil.)

Many will come out from under her influence to be saved during the tribulation hour—Revelation 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.

She will be destroyed by nuclear weapons—Revelation 18:9-10
The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning, standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’

She is a massive importer of quality goods and people who work for her—Revelation 18:12-13
Merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; and cinnamon and incense, fragrant oil and frankincense, wine and oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and bodies and souls of men.

She condones the practice of decapitations—Revelation 20:4
Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God…

It is my opinion based on these clues that God is going to judge the false religion of Islam which is seated in Saudi Arabia. Islam and the Koran has always been a rebuttal to both the Jewish and Christian faith and the Bible. The tribulation hour will reveal to the world who is the real God—Jehovah or Allah. You study it and you be the judge. Jesus is Lord! Come quickly lord Jesus!