The Harlot Motif and Babylon the Great — Part 4

By Mike Coldagelli

Revelation uses the term “great city” in reference to Jerusalem (Revelation 11:8) and Babylon the Great (Revelation 16:19, 17:18, 18:10, 18:16, 18:18, 18:19, 18:21). What are the possibilities that John is speaking of two great cities? Revelation 17:18 tells us that she is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth. Similar language is seen in Revelation 1:5 when Jesus Christ is said to be “the ruler of the kings of the earth.” Christ’s throne will be established in Jerusalem. He rules from only one city, Jerusalem.

Jerusalem may rule over the kings of the earth in another sense. The ten kings of Revelation 17:12-13 receive their authority along with the beast and then give their authority to the beast. The the beast (Antichrist as opposed to the final beast empire) is associated with only one city, Jerusalem. “The ruler who will come” (Daniel 9:26) puts an end to sacrifice and offering, and sets up an abomination on a wing of the temple (in Jerusalem). “The king” who will do as he pleases (Daniel 11:36) pitches his tent “at the beautiful holy mountain” which is Zion in Jerusalem (Daniel 11:45). “The man of lawlessness” (2 Thessalonians 2:3) sets himself up in God’s temple (in Jerusalem). The beast kills the two witness and their bodies lie in the street in Jerusalem. (Revelation 11: 7-10) The beast is located at Jerusalem and he rules over the ten kings.

If there is another city that Revelation 17 is speaking of, it cannot be known from scripture, including the ancient city of Babylon. Because to declare the name “a mystery” and then to name the actual city is contradictory. Babylon the Great has ultimate characteristics of the ancient city, but they are not one and the same. She is guilty of shedding blood (Rev. 17:6), just as Jerusalem was (Ezekiel 23:37,45). She kills the prophets:

In her was found the blood of prophets and of the saints, and of all who have been killed on the earth.” (Revelation 18:24)

Jeremiah chapter 51 has similar language to Revelation 18:24 which uses the phrase, “all who have been killed on the earth.” According to Jeremiah, “the slain in all the earth have fallen because of Babylon. Babylon must fall because of Israel’s slain, just as the slain in all the earth have fallen because of Babylon.” (Jeremiah 51:49)

What other city is associated with blood that has been shed on the earth?

The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, will you judge her? Will you judge this city of bloodshed? Then confront her with all her detestable practices and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O city that brings on herself doom by shedding blood in her midst and defiles herself by making idols, you have become guilty because of the blood you have shed and have become defiled by the idols you have made. You have brought your days to a close, and the end of your years has come. Therefore I will make you an object of scorn to the nations and a laughingstock to all the countries. Those who are near and those who are far away will mock you, O infamous city, full of turmoil. See how each of the princes of Israel who are in you uses his power to shed blood.’” (Ezekiel 22:1-6)

The kings of the earth did not believe, nor did any of the world’s people, that enemies and foes could enter the gates of Jerusalem. But it happened because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who shed within her the blood of the righteous. (Lamentations 4:12-13)

Matthew 23 also identifies Jerusalem as a city that sheds blood, especially the blood of the prophets.

And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your forefathers! You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. I tell you the truth, all this will come upon this generation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’ (Matthew 23:30-39)

Jesus says that upon Jerusalem prior to her restoration “will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on the earth.” In verse 34, prophets, wise men, and teachers will be sent to her. But she will kill, flog, and pursue them. One example is the two prophets killed in Revelation 11 who lie in the streets of Jerusalem for three and a half days. Can Babylon the Great, that contains the blood of prophets and saints, be different from Jerusalem (upon whom will come all the righteous blood that is shed on the earth and who kills the prophets)? Can these two cities be mutually exclusive?
In Luke 13:33 Jesus again associates the death of prophets with Jerusalem:

In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem! (Luke 13:33)

The greatest prophet, the prophet foretold by Moses, is crucified in Jerusalem. Is there another city that can fulfill the characteristics of Babylon the Great? If the harlot-prostitute-adulteress motif is treated consistently then the harlot is Jerusalem. And true to the restoration theme of the prostitute we see Jerusalem restored in Revelation 21:

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.” (Revelation 21:2-3)

Jerusalem, from detestable harlot to beautiful bride beautifully dressed (compare to Ezekiel 16:10-13, Revelation 19:8) for her husband. When this fulfillment comes to pass, we see the same words of Hosea 2:23 in Revelation 21:3, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”

Part 5 will consider the great harlot’s name, her relationship to Babylon in Genesis and God’s jealousy for his temple.