Babylon the Great

(Revelation 17:5) On her forehead was written a name, a mystery: “Babylon the Great, the mother of the prostitutes and of the disgusting things of the earth.”

She has a name: “Babylon the Great", and a description: "the mother of the prostitutes and of the disgusting things of the earth.” Here we will explore how these two designations relate to her.

Current thinking is that when Jehovah confused the languages in ancient Babel and "scattered them from there over the entire face of the earth" (Ge 11:8, 9) that they took a multitude of pagan religions with them.

[rr p. 163 par. 6] Since the time when the languages were confused in ancient Babel, or Babylon, all manner of false religious doctrines have been spread abroad, spawning an endless variety of religions.

Here is everything the Bible says about that.

(Genesis 11:1-9) Now all the earth continued to be of one language and of one set of words. ² As they traveled eastward, they discovered a valley plain in the land of Shiʹnar, and they began dwelling there. ³ Then they said to one another: “Come! Let us make bricks and bake them with fire.” So they used bricks instead of stone, and bitumen as mortar. ⁴ They now said: “Come! Let us build a city for ourselves and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a celebrated name for ourselves, so that we will not be scattered over the entire face of the earth.”

⁵ Then Jehovah went down to see the city and the tower that the sons of men had built. ⁶ Jehovah then said: “Look! They are one people with one language, and this is what they have started to do. Now there is nothing that they may have in mind to do that will be impossible for them. ⁷ Come! Let us go down there and confuse their language in order that they may not understand one another’s language.” ⁸ So Jehovah scattered them from there over the entire face of the earth, and they gradually left off building the city. ⁹ That is why it was named Baʹbel, because there Jehovah confused the language of all the earth, and Jehovah scattered them from there over the entire face of the earth.

So why did the Babylonians build the city and tower?

(Genesis 11:4) They now said: “Come! Let us build a city for ourselves and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a celebrated name for ourselves, so that we will not be scattered over the entire face of the earth.”

Why did they build the city? "for ourselves."

What were they building the tower for?

[it-2 p. 503] The beginning of Nimrod’s kingdom included the cities of Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, all in the land of Shinar. (Ge 10:10) Therefore it was likely under his direction that the building of Babel and its tower began. This conclusion is also in agreement with the traditional Jewish view. Wrote Josephus: “[Nimrod] little by little transformed the state of affairs into a tyranny, holding that the only way to detach men from the fear of God was by making them continuously dependent upon his own power. He threatened to have his revenge on God if He wished to inundate the earth again; for he would build a tower higher than the water could reach and avenge the destruction of their forefathers. The people were eager to follow this advice of [Nimrod], deeming it slavery to submit to God; so they set out to build the tower . . . and it rose with a speed beyond all expectation.”—Jewish Antiquities, I, 114, 115 (iv, 2, 3).

If they could build a tower tall enough they would not be threatened by another flood and could stay together instead of spreading out and filling the earth.

The original Hebrew word "shamayim" translated as "heavens" at Ge 11:4 is referring to the sky. So they wanted the tower to be very tall. Why? "So that we will not be scattered over the entire face of the earth.” The Hebrew word "pen" translated as "so" has the meaning of "lest" which has the definition of "with the intention of preventing something undesirable; to avoid the risk of."

How would a tall tower keep them from being scattered? Because with the ability to climb the tower and escape another flood they could thumb their noses at Jehovah God and stay together. That ability would certainly "make a celebrated name for ourselves."

False Religion

Did the early Babylonians have false gods and promote their worship while they were building their city and tower? The Bible does not say that the people came together to worship false religions. Nowhere in the Bible is false religion equated with early Babel. The early Babylonians wanted to make a name for themselves, not a name for some false god.

The flood occurred in 2370 B.C.E. and Peleg, who was named for the division caused by Jehovah's confusing of the languages at Babel, was born in 2269 B.C.E. (Ge 10:25) That puts the construction of the tower about 100 years after the flood. And since those born just after the flood still lived for a few hundred years, the flood was not some old story about long-dead ancestors. Noah himself lived for 350 years after the flood, and Noah's wife, sons, and their wives were probably also still alive at the time that Nimrod began his kingdom with the building of the city of Babel and the tower within. So everyone knew what Jehovah had done and could even speak with those who had experienced it. And no doubt there were still plenty of signs around that there had been a flood when the first ones after the flood were born and while they were in their youth. So no one doubted that it happened.

Archeologists have found pagan religious artifacts in the area, as they find in all ancient human habitats, but Babel was also inhabited long after the dispersal of the city's builders giving plenty of time for pagans to move in and leave behind artifacts for archeologists to find. The Bible does not mention false religion in its condemnation of early Babel. It isn't until one and a half thousand years later, in the book of Isaiah, that the then current city of Babylon is condemned for false religion. (Isa 21:9)

As we know from our current world, filled with many false religions, that those from different religions do not generally work well together because their different beliefs give them different goals and attitudes. A city filled with many different false religions and beliefs would not have had the singular goal of building a tower. No, but everyone held a single belief in early Babel: That Jehovah was God, and that they wanted to oppose Him and His directive. (Ge 1:28; 9:1; 11:4)

Genesis tells us that Nimrod was the founder of this city:

(Genesis 10:8-10) Cush became father to Nimʹrod. He was the first to become a mighty one on the earth. ⁹ He became a mighty hunter in opposition to Jehovah. That is why there is a saying: “Just like Nimʹrod, a mighty hunter in opposition to Jehovah.” ¹⁰ The beginning of his kingdom was Baʹbel, Eʹrech, Acʹcad, and Calʹneh, in the land of Shiʹnar.

"Nimrod was the founder and king of the first empire to come into existence after the Flood" (it-2 p. 503) so the people were well aware of who the one and only true God was since He had just recently flooded the earth. And according to Jewish Antiquities the people had a fear of God and the tower was being built in case He caused another flood to occur.

So Nimrod was certainly in opposition to Jehovah. He knew what God had mandated on the matter since the stated goal of the city's residents was to oppose that mandate. (Ge 11:4)

(Genesis 1:28) Further, God blessed them, and God said to them: “Be fruitful and become many, fill the earth and subdue it, and have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and every living creature that is moving on the earth.” (see also Ge 9:1)

After the flood the sons of Noah and their children spread westward from Mount Ararat into the area today known as Turkey. With mountains and water to their north and west acting as natural barriers the dispersing population spread southward and then eastward, probably following the fertile Euphrates river valley. "As they traveled eastward, they discovered a valley plain in the land of Shiʹnar." (Ge 11:2) That is where they collectively made the conscious decision to disobey Jehovah.

So what did Jehovah do?

(Genesis 11:8, 9) ⁵ Then Jehovah went down to see the city and the tower that the sons of men had built. ⁶ Jehovah then said: “Look! They are one people with one language, and this is what they have started to do. Now there is nothing that they may have in mind to do that will be impossible for them. ⁷ Come! Let us go down there and confuse their language in order that they may not understand one another’s language.” ⁸ So Jehovah scattered them from there over the entire face of the earth, and they gradually left off building the city. ⁹ That is why it was named Baʹbel, because there Jehovah confused the language of all the earth, and Jehovah scattered them from there over the entire face of the earth.

What did Jehovah do? He "scattered them." Why? Because they were intentionally gathering together in one place with the stated purpose of going against His mandate to spread out and "fill the earth". (Ge 11:4)

There is no mention of false religion in relation to the early city or its tower. They all knew who the one and only true God was. The city of Babel and the tower was not about pagan worship. It was about going against Jehovah's will by gathering together in one place. They placed their own desires above God's, just as Adam and Eve did in the garden of Eden.

So early Babel should be remembered not for building a tower, but for gathering together to live as a collective instead of dispersing and filling the earth since that was their stated goal and that is what Jehovah counteracted.

Not Alone

[it-2 472] Separated now by communication barriers, each linguistic group developed its own culture, art, customs, traits, and religion, each its own ways of doing things.  Alienated from God, the various peoples contrived many idols of their mythical deities.

The occupants of early Babel had one ideology, and it was collective opposition to Jehovah. But "now" that their languages were confused and they were scattered throughout the earth, they then "developed" false religions and "contrived many idols of their mythical deities."

Also recognize that the inhabitants of the City of Babel were not the only people on earth. (Ge 11:1) They were just one group in one spot. No doubt all humans living everywhere else that humans were also living, in time, also developed false religions, just like the ones that were scattered from Babel did. So all of the false religions of the world do not have the single source of those that had been scattered.

Revelation

Does the book of Revelation accuse Babylon the Great of practicing false religion or of pagan worship? In Revelation Babylon the Great is condemned for many things, but none of them include pagan worship. "But what about her spiritistic practices?" you ask.

(Revelation 18:23) ... and by your spiritistic practices all the nations were misled.

The same Greek word is used only one other place in the Bible, in Galatians, and is translated there as "spiritism".

(Galatians 5:20) idolatry, spiritism, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, dissensions, divisions, sects,

What is spiritism?

[it-2 p. 1027] Spiritism—The belief or doctrine that the spirits of the human dead, surviving the death of the physical body, can and do communicate with the living.

Since spiritism is not about worshiping false gods there is no reference to pagan worship in Revelation with regard to Babylon the Great.

What similarities are there between Babylon the Great and ancient Babel? Let's look at the characteristics of ancient Babel and see how they relate.

City

Obviously the first Babylon was a city.

(Genesis 11:4) They now said: “Come! Let us build a city for ourselves and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a celebrated name for ourselves, so that we will not be scattered over the entire face of the earth.”

Is Babylon the Great a city?

(Revelation 16:17-19) The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell; and Babylon the Great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath.

(Revelation 17:18) And the woman whom you saw means the great city that has a kingdom over the kings of the earth.”

(Revelation 18:10) They will stand at a distance because of their fear of her torment and say: ‘Too bad, too bad, you great city, Babylon you strong city, because in one hour your judgment has arrived!’

(Revelation 18:16) saying: ‘Too bad, too bad, the great city, clothed with fine linen, purple, and scarlet and richly adorned with gold ornaments, precious stones, and pearls,

(Revelation 18:18, 19) and cried out as they looked at the smoke from her burning and said: ‘What city is like the great city?’ ¹⁹ They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and mourning, and said: ‘Too bad, too bad, the great city, in which all those who had ships at sea became rich from her wealth, because in one hour she has been devastated!’

(Revelation 18:21)  And a strong angel lifted up a stone like a great millstone and hurled it into the sea, saying: “Thus with a swift pitch will Babylon the great city be hurled down, and she will never be found again.

She is repeatedly called a "great city." But how is she a "great city"?

Great

(Revelation 17:1, 2) One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me: “Come, I will show you the judgment on the great prostitute who sits on many waters, ² with whom the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality, and earth’s inhabitants were made drunk with the wine of her sexual immorality.”

(Revelation 17:9) “This calls for a mind that has wisdom: The seven heads mean seven mountains, where the woman sits on top.

(Revelation 17:18) And the woman whom you saw means the great city that has a kingdom over the kings of the earth.”

(Revelation 18:3) For because of the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, all the nations have fallen victim, and the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth became rich owing to the power of her shameless luxury.

(Revelation 18:7) To the extent that she glorified herself and lived in shameless luxury, to that extent give her torment and mourning. For she keeps saying in her heart: ‘I sit as queen, and I am not a widow, and I will never see mourning.’

(Revelation 18:16) saying: ‘Too bad, too bad, the great city, clothed with fine linen, purple, and scarlet and richly adorned with gold ornaments, precious stones, and pearls

(Revelation 18:19) They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and mourning, and said: ‘Too bad, too bad, the great city, in which all those who had ships at sea became rich from her wealth, because in one hour she has been devastated!’

(Revelation 18:23) No light of a lamp will ever shine in you again, and no voice of a bridegroom and of a bride will ever be heard in you again; for your merchants were the top-ranking men of the earth, and by your spiritistic practices all the nations were misled.

Her power and reach is worldwide and her wealth and splendor is unparalleled, so she is indeed a "great city." But her being called a "great city" is separate from her being called "Babylon the Great." She is called a "great city" because of her worldwide influence, but she is called "Babylon the Great" because she is similar to the original Babel, but to a much greater degree. How so?

What was the original Babel built for? To oppose Jehovah. That was the whole point of the city and the tower. Does Babylon the Great have a tower?

Tower

She doesn't have a tower, but what was the point of the original tower? To escape a second judgmental flood. Just as the original inhabitants of Babel thought they could climb their tower (once finished) and be out of reach of any future flood, Babylon the Great thinks she has moved beyond God's reach too.

(Revelation 18:7) For she keeps saying in her heart: ‘I sit as queen, and I am not a widow, and I will never see mourning.’

So we know why she is called Babylon the Great, and why she is called a great city, but why is she called “the mother of the prostitutes and of the disgusting things of the earth”?

Let's look at her description in Revelation.

Mother of the Prostitutes

(Revelation 17:5) On her forehead was written a name, a mystery: “Babylon the Great, the mother of the prostitutes and of the disgusting things of the earth.”

What does "the mother of the prostitutes" mean?

[re p. 244] She is “the mother of the harlots” because all the individual false religions in the world, including the many sects in Christendom, are like her daughters, imitating her in committing spiritual harlotry.

So the lesser churches on earth, "all the individual false religions in the world" are her daughters. Therefore they are not "Babylon the Great". That term refers to their "mother".

It is their mother that will be hated, made devastated and naked, and have her flesh completely burned with fire. (Re 17:16)

Prostitute

She is not just "the mother of the prostitutes," she is also a prostitute herself.

(Revelation 17:16) And the ten horns that you saw and the wild beast, these will hate the prostitute and will make her devastated and naked, and they will eat up her flesh and completely burn her with fire.

(Revelation 17:1, 2) One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me: “Come, I will show you the judgment on the great prostitute who sits on many waters, ² with whom the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality, and earth’s inhabitants were made drunk with the wine of her sexual immorality.”

So who is she? What religion is committing sexual immorality with the kings of the earth on a world-wide scale?

Judaism? No. At least not on a worldwide scale.

Any of the many minor religions? No. Not on a worldwide scale.

Islam? No. They are powerful in their own region of the world, but nowhere else. And Islam does not need to influence the government because in most cases they are the government. And they are not prostitutes because the term prostitute is here used to describe one who has become disloyal to Jehovah, but Islam was never loyal to Jehovah in the first place. (more on loyalty later)

Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism? No. The same goes for them. They were never God's people so they cannot be disloyal to He whom they were never loyal-to to begin with.

Is this describing one of the ancient religions like Baal worship? No. Again for the same reason.

That just leaves Christendom. Who in Christendom matches the description in Revelation?

Well since she is the "mother", who started false Christianity around the world? What so-called "Christian" religion predates all others, is still the largest (greatest) in Christendom, and that all other religions in Christendom formed thereafter?

I don't see how the answer can be any other than Catholicism.

Do the Prophecies Apply?

Can the prophetic descriptions of Babylon the Great be applied to the Catholic church?

Can the prophetic descriptions be applied to any other religion?

(Revelation 14:8) Another, a second angel, followed, saying: “She has fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen, she who made all the nations drink of the wine of the passion (wrath, anger) of her sexual immorality!”

(Revelation 17:1, 2) One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me: “Come, I will show you the judgment on the great prostitute who sits on many waters, ² with whom the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality, and earth’s inhabitants were made drunk with the wine of her sexual immorality.”

Yes. Catholicism is not the only prostitute, but is the "great" one, the largest one. It is well established around the world, and interferes with and manipulates governments.

No. No other religion has and does manipulate governments on a worldwide scale.

(Revelation 17:15) He said to me: “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is sitting, mean peoples and crowds and nations and tongues.

Yes. Catholicism is a worldwide entity.

No. No other false religion has such a worldwide reach.

(Revelation 17:18) And the woman whom you saw means the great city that has a kingdom over the kings of the earth.”

Yes. Catholics have their own city that is recognized by the "Kings of the earth" as a sovereign nation: Vatican City. The Catholic church considers their kingdom above all other kingdoms on the earth. Governmental leaders even seek out the blessing of the Catholic church to help give credence to their political position.

No. No other religion has established itself as a city or kingdom or is recognized as such a world power by the world's governments.

(Revelation 18:3) For because of the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, all the nations have fallen victim, and the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth became rich owing to the power of her shameless luxury.”

Yes. The Catholic church is well known for its opulence.

No. Not on a worldwide scale.

(Revelation 18:7) To the extent that she glorified herself and lived in shameless luxury, to that extent give her torment and mourning. For she keeps saying in her heart: ‘I sit as queen, and I am not a widow, and I will never see mourning.’

Yes. Catholicism's arrogance is renowned.

No. Not on a worldwide scale.

(Revelation 18:16) saying: ‘Too bad, too bad, the great city, clothed with fine linen, purple, and scarlet and richly adorned with gold ornaments, precious stones, and pearls,

Yes. Catholicism is infamous for this sort of adornment.

No. None even come close.

(Revelation 18:23) ... and by your spiritistic practices all the nations were misled.

Yes. Catholicism promotes prayer to the dead. They have many "saints" that they pray to and make requests of, including Mary the mother of Jesus.

No. Not on a worldwide scale.

(Revelation 17:6) And I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the holy ones and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus.

(Revelation 18:24) Yes, in her was found the blood of prophets and of holy ones and of all those who have been slaughtered on the earth.”

The Catholic church is not directly responsible for "all" those that have been killed. But look what Jesus said in Matthew:

(Matthew 23:34-37) For this reason, I am sending to you prophets and wise men and public instructors. Some of them you will kill and execute on stakes, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, ³⁵ so that there may come upon you all the righteous blood spilled on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zech·a·riʹah son of Bar·a·chiʹah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. ³⁶ Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. ³⁷ “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the killer of the prophets and stoner of those sent to her—how often I wanted to gather your children together the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings! But you did not want it.

Jesus (the author of Revelation) will place upon Jerusalem all righteous blood that has been spilled on the earth, even though Jerusalem did not spill all righteous blood, such as Abel's.
This shows that bloodguilt can be put upon those not directly responsible.

So Yes. The bloodguilt from all who have ever been slaughtered could be put upon the Catholic church.

No. There is no other religion in Christendom that is prominent on a worldwide scale that would warrant it.

Loyalty

If the Catholic church is who Babylon the Great is, where did she get her start? The first Christians were in the congregations mentioned in the Bible. They grew and expanded, and in time the apostasy came.

(2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4) Let no one lead you astray in any way, because it will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness gets revealed, the son of destruction. ⁴ He stands in opposition and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he sits down in the temple of God, publicly showing himself to be a god.

The Catholic church claims the position of the pope to be infallible.

(Acts 20:29, 30) I know that after my going away oppressive wolves will enter in among you and will not treat the flock with tenderness, ³⁰ and from among you yourselves men will rise and speak twisted things to draw away the disciples after themselves.

The Catholic church treats the flock (Christian sheep) harshly with unscriptural tithing that many cannot afford, but they are threatened with eternal torment if they do not pay. (Re 18:4)

(1 Timothy 4:1-3) However, the inspired word clearly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired statements and teachings of demons, ² by means of the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, whose conscience is seared as with a branding iron. ³ They forbid marriage and command people to abstain from foods that God created to be partaken of with thanksgiving by those who have faith and accurately know the truth.

The Catholic church forbids their priests and its other members from marrying, and from eating certain food on certain days.

Since Babylon the Great grew out of the original congregations she is unfaithful because she turned her back on Jesus and turned to the kings of the earth. So for someone to qualify to be Babylon the Great they would have had to become unfaithful to Christ, which rules out the pagan religions of the world and only fits with those in Christendom.

Are the following scriptures applicable to the Catholic church?

(Revelation 16:18-21) And there were flashes of lightning and voices and thunders, and there was a great earthquake unlike any that had occurred since men came to be on the earth, so extensive and so great was the earthquake. ¹⁹ The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell; and Babylon the Great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. ²⁰ Also, every island fled, and mountains were not found. ²¹ Then great hailstones, each about the weight of a talent, fell from heaven on the people, and the people blasphemed God because of the plague of hail, for the plague was unusually great.

"flashes of lightning and voices and thunders" "earthquake" = The exposing of her terrible deeds.

"The great city" = The Vatican and the Catholic church as a whole.

"the cities of the nations" = Her compounds around the world.

"every island fled, and mountains were not found" = Her churches and other smaller entities.

"great hailstones" = Condemnations.

"falling upon the people" = All those that make up the Catholic church itself, (not its congregations) from the pope down to the nuns.

Plagues

What happens to Babylon the Great before her Destruction? Before Babylon the Great is destroyed plagues will come upon her.

(Revelation 18:4-10, 15-19) And I heard another voice out of heaven say: “Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues. ⁵ For her sins have massed together clear up to heaven, and God has called her acts of injustice to mind. ⁶ Repay her in the way she treated others, yes, pay her back double for the things she has done; in the cup she has mixed, mix a double portion for her. ⁷ To the extent that she glorified herself and lived in shameless luxury, to that extent give her torment and mourning. For she keeps saying in her heart: ‘I sit as queen, and I am not a widow, and I will never see mourning.’ ⁸ That is why in one day her plagues will come, death and mourning and famine, and she will be completely burned with fire, because Jehovah God, who judged her, is strong.

⁹ “And the kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality with her and lived with her in shameless luxury will weep and beat themselves in grief over her when they see the smoke from her burning. ¹⁰ They will stand at a distance because of their fear of her torment and say: ‘Too bad, too bad, you great city, Babylon you strong city, because in one hour your judgment has arrived!’

¹⁵ “The merchants who sold these things, who became rich from her, will stand at a distance because of their fear of her torment and will weep and mourn, ¹⁶ saying: ‘Too bad, too bad, the great city, clothed with fine linen, purple, and scarlet and richly adorned with gold ornaments, precious stones, and pearls, ¹⁷ because in one hour such great riches have been devastated!’

“And every ship captain and every seafaring person and sailors and all those who make a living by the sea stood at a distance ¹⁸ and cried out as they looked at the smoke from her burning and said: ‘What city is like the great city?’ ¹⁹ They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and mourning, and said: ‘Too bad, too bad, the great city, in which all those who had ships at sea became rich from her wealth, because in one hour she has been devastated!’

All of those plagues are fitting for the sins of the Catholic church.

Is she dead at this point? No. This is the second time that the words "She has fallen!" have been applied to Babylon the Great. The first was at Revelation 14:8. She has fallen but she still exists. She is still a place. She becomes a "dwelling place of demons and a place where every unclean spirit and every unclean and hated bird lurks!"

(Revelation 18:2) And he cried out with a strong voice, saying: “She has fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen, and she has become a dwelling place of demons and a place where every unclean spirit and every unclean and hated bird lurks!

It is after this second announcement that she has fallen that God tells His people to get out of Babylon the Great.

(Revelation 18:4) And I heard another voice out of heaven say: “Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues.

She has fallen but she is not dead yet. This gives God's people a chance to get out before her destruction consumes them as well. Before her destruction all of the plagues have to be imposed upon her. Then she is finally destroyed by the governments, led by the UN.

Hate

(Revelation 17:16) And the ten horns that you saw and the wild beast, these will hate the prostitute and will make her devastated and naked, and they will eat up her flesh and completely burn her with fire.

Why would the world governments hate the Catholic church?

If you do a web search you can find many news articles that report on mass pedophilia within the Catholic church among both Priests and nuns, and even reports of mass graves of children on the properties of the Catholic church around the world, many of which were used to bury the bodies of children killed to conceal their sexual abuse.

Babylon the Great truly is "a dwelling place of demons and a place where every unclean spirit and every unclean and hated bird lurks!"

Devastated and Naked

How will they make her devastated and naked?

(Revelation 17:16, 17) And the ten horns that you saw and the wild beast, these will hate the prostitute and will make her devastated and naked, and they will eat up her flesh and completely burn her with fire. ¹⁷ For God put it into their hearts to carry out his thought, yes, to carry out their one thought by giving their kingdom to the wild beast, until the words of God will have been accomplished.

Perhaps the rampant pedophilia and their other depraved and disgusting acts will be completely brought into the light and revealed (make her naked) and the governments will hate her for it. Perhaps their actions of making what she has done publically known will be akin to devastating her since her body (Col 1:18a), her flesh ("my people"), will abandon her, or in other words, will
be eaten up and completely burned with fire never to return to the church. (compare Ro 12:4, 5;
1Co 12:27-30)

Riding the Image of the Beast

She rides the United Nations.

(Revelation 17:3) And he carried me away in the power of the spirit into a wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet-colored wild beast that was full of blasphemous names and that had seven heads and ten horns.

(Revelation 13:15) And it was permitted to give breath to the image of the wild beast, so that the image of the wild beast should both speak and cause to be killed all those who refuse to worship the image of the wild beast.

How does the Catholic church fulfill this? The following is a quote from Wikipedia.

Relationship of the Catholic church and the United Nations:

The Holy See (the Catholic church) is not a member of the United Nations but was granted permanent observer state status on 6 April 1964. In that capacity, it has the right to attend all sessions of the United Nations General Assembly, the United Nations Security Council, and the United Nations Economic and Social Council to observe their work. Accordingly, the Holy See has established permanent observer missions in New York and in Geneva and has been able to influence the decisions and recommendations of the United Nations.

As a matter of diplomatic courtesy, since 1964, the Holy See was also allowed to make formal policy statements in the General Assembly, both during the General Debates and during the discussion of the various separate issues contained in the agenda of the General Assembly. Notably, popes Paul VI, John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis were invited to address the General Assembly.

In addition, the Holy See was invited to observe all open meetings of the intergovernmental subsidiary bodies of the General Assembly. The Holy See was frequently allowed to participate in the private negotiations leading to the adoption of the General Assembly's decisions and resolutions. The Holy See was not allowed, however, to co-sponsor draft decisions or resolutions, to make points of order or to exercise the right of reply. If the Holy See wished to circulate written proposals or position papers, it required the assistance of a member state that was willing to present those proposals or papers as its own.

In 2004, the UN General Assembly confirmed the Vatican's status as a Permanent Observer. Currently the Holy See has the right to participate in the general debate of the General Assembly and to intervene in the discussion of any issue inscribed in the agenda of that assembly. It has the right to participate in all meetings open to all Member States, the right to make points of order and to exercise the right of reply, the right to circulate proposals and position papers as official documents, and the right to co-sponsor draft resolutions and decisions. Commenting on its status, Archbishop Celestino Migliore, the then Holy See Permanent Observer to the United Nations, said "We have no vote because this is our choice." He added that the Holy See considers that its current status "is a fundamental step that does not close any path for the future. The Holy See has the requirements defined by the UN statute to be a member state and, if in the future it wished to be so, this resolution would not impede it from requesting it." (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_See_and_the_United_Nations)

Influence

She is not described as having reigns which would give her full control, nor is she is merely on the UN like a flea on a dog.

[rr p. 163 par. 5] "...this prostitute is depicted as riding, or exerting a measure of influence over, the political elements of this world."

(Revelation 17:7) So the angel said to me: “Why is it that you were amazed? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the wild beast that is carrying her and that has the seven heads and the ten horns

The Greek word "bastazó" translated as "carrying" has the definition of "to take up, carry" and refers to action taken by the carrier to willingly carry something.

(Revelation 17:3) And he carried me away in the power of the spirit into a wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet-colored wild beast that was full of blasphemous names and that had seven heads and ten horns.

The Greek word kathémai translated as "sitting" has the definiton of "to be seated" and has the meaning of being seated, dwell, live. So her position on the wild beast is not like a rider on a horse who is in charge and directs the horse. But her position is only at the consent of the beast. It is providing the ride by taking the deliberate action of bearing her.

For comparison, the Greek term used at Revelation 17:3 "apopheró" translated as "carried me away" is different in that it refers to forcefully taking or carrying someone, even against their will. In contrast the riding of the prostitute upon the beast is a mutually welcomed activity.

The Catholic church is not a formal member of the UN and therefore has no voting power so she is not a part of the UN. As the description of the prostitute shows, she is not one of the 10 heads, but she sits atop the beast and uses her influence to guide the decisions made at the UN.

I'm guessing that soon the UN will remove her "permanent observer state status" and kick her to the curb.

Why? Because of her rampant homosexual, pedophile, and many other depraved and wicked acts will be completely brought into the light, will be made publically known, and the governments will hate her for what she is, what she has done, and what she is doing. (Re 18:13)

Is there any other religion that rides the image of the wild beast (UN)? No.

What do you think of this hypothesis?

:^)
Dave      

da.getmyip@gmail.com

Last edited 01-18-2020       (Date created 11-04-2018)

All scriptures about Babylon the Great:

(Revelation 14:8) Another, a second angel, followed, saying: “She has fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen, she who made all the nations drink of the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality!”

(Revelation 16:17-18:24) ¹⁷ The seventh one poured out his bowl on the air. At this a loud voice came out of the sanctuary from the throne, saying: “It has come to pass!” ¹⁸ And there were flashes of lightning and voices and thunders, and there was a great earthquake unlike any that had occurred since men came to be on the earth, so extensive and so great was the earthquake. ¹⁹ The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell; and Babylon the Great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. ²⁰ Also, every island fled, and mountains were not found. ²¹ Then great hailstones, each about the weight of a talent, fell from heaven on the people, and the people blasphemed God because of the plague of hail, for the plague was unusually great.

17 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me: “Come, I will show you the judgment on the great prostitute who sits on many waters, ² with whom the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality, and earth’s inhabitants were made drunk with the wine of her sexual immorality.”

³ And he carried me away in the power of the spirit into a wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet-colored wild beast that was full of blasphemous names and that had seven heads and ten horns. ⁴ The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and she was adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, and she had in her hand a golden cup that was full of disgusting things and the unclean things of her sexual immorality. ⁵ On her forehead was written a name, a mystery: “Babylon the Great, the mother of the prostitutes and of the disgusting things of the earth.” ⁶ And I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the holy ones and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus.

Well, on seeing her I was greatly amazed. ⁷ So the angel said to me: “Why is it that you were amazed? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the wild beast that is carrying her and that has the seven heads and the ten horns: ⁸ The wild beast that you saw was, but is not, and yet is about to ascend out of the abyss, and it is to go off into destruction. And the inhabitants of the earth—those whose names have not been written in the scroll of life from the founding of the world—will be amazed when they see how the wild beast was, but is not, and yet will be present.

⁹ “This calls for a mind that has wisdom: The seven heads mean seven mountains, where the woman sits on top. ¹⁰ And there are seven kings: Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet arrived; but when he does arrive, he must remain a short while. ¹¹ And the wild beast that was but is not, it is also an eighth king, but it springs from the seven, and it goes off into destruction.

¹² “The ten horns that you saw mean ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they do receive authority as kings for one hour with the wild beast. ¹³ These have one thought, so they give their power and authority to the wild beast. ¹⁴ These will battle with the Lamb, but because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, the Lamb will conquer them. Also, those with him who are called and chosen and faithful will do so.”

¹⁵ He said to me: “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is sitting, mean peoples and crowds and nations and tongues. ¹⁶ And the ten horns that you saw and the wild beast, these will hate the prostitute and will make her devastated and naked, and they will eat up her flesh and completely burn her with fire. ¹⁷ For God put it into their hearts to carry out his thought, yes, to carry out their one thought by giving their kingdom to the wild beast, until the words of God will have been accomplished. ¹⁸ And the woman whom you saw means the great city that has a kingdom over the kings of the earth.”

18 After this I saw another angel descending from heaven with great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his glory. ² And he cried out with a strong voice, saying: “She has fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen, and she has become a dwelling place of demons and a place where every unclean spirit and every unclean and hated bird lurks! ³ For because of the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, all the nations have fallen victim, and the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth became rich owing to the power of her shameless luxury.”

⁴ And I heard another voice out of heaven say: “Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues. ⁵ For her sins have massed together clear up to heaven, and God has called her acts of injustice to mind. ⁶ Repay her in the way she treated others, yes, pay her back double for the things she has done; in the cup she has mixed, mix a double portion for her. ⁷ To the extent that she glorified herself and lived in shameless luxury, to that extent give her torment and mourning. For she keeps saying in her heart: ‘I sit as queen, and I am not a widow, and I will never see mourning.’ ⁸ That is why in one day her plagues will come, death and mourning and famine, and she will be completely burned with fire, because Jehovah God, who judged her, is strong.

⁹ “And the kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality with her and lived with her in shameless luxury will weep and beat themselves in grief over her when they see the smoke from her burning. ¹⁰ They will stand at a distance because of their fear of her torment and say: ‘Too bad, too bad, you great city, Babylon you strong city, because in one hour your judgment has arrived!’

¹¹ “Also, the merchants of the earth are weeping and mourning over her, because there is no one to buy their full cargo anymore, ¹² a full cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, and scarlet cloth; and everything made from scented wood; and every sort of object made from ivory, and from precious wood, copper, iron, and marble; ¹³ also cinnamon, Indian spice, incense, perfumed oil, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, carriages, slaves, and human lives. ¹⁴ Yes, the fine fruit that you desired has left you, and all the delicacies and the splendid things have vanished from you, never to be found again.

¹⁵ “The merchants who sold these things, who became rich from her, will stand at a distance because of their fear of her torment and will weep and mourn, ¹⁶ saying: ‘Too bad, too bad, the great city, clothed with fine linen, purple, and scarlet and richly adorned with gold ornaments, precious stones, and pearls, ¹⁷ because in one hour such great riches have been devastated!’

“And every ship captain and every seafaring person and sailors and all those who make a living by the sea stood at a distance ¹⁸ and cried out as they looked at the smoke from her burning and said: ‘What city is like the great city?’ ¹⁹ They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and mourning, and said: ‘Too bad, too bad, the great city, in which all those who had ships at sea became rich from her wealth, because in one hour she has been devastated!’

²⁰ “Be glad over her, O heaven, also you holy ones and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced his judgment on her in your behalf!”

²¹ And a strong angel lifted up a stone like a great millstone and hurled it into the sea, saying: “Thus with a swift pitch will Babylon the great city be hurled down, and she will never be found again. ²² And the sound of singers who accompany themselves on the harp, of musicians, of flutists, and of trumpeters will never be heard in you again. And no craftsman who practices any trade will ever be found in you again, and no sound of a millstone will ever be heard in you again. ²³ No light of a lamp will ever shine in you again, and no voice of a bridegroom and of a bride will ever be heard in you again; for your merchants were the top-ranking men of the earth, and by your spiritistic practices all the nations were misled. ²⁴ Yes, in her was found the blood of prophets and of holy ones and of all those who have been slaughtered on the earth.”

19 After this I heard what seemed to be a loud voice of a great crowd in heaven. They said: “Praise Jah! The salvation and the glory and the power belong to our God, ² because his judgments are true and righteous. For he has executed judgment on the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality, and he has avenged the blood of his slaves that is on her hands.” ³ And right away for the second time they said: “Praise Jah! And the smoke from her goes on ascending forever and ever.”