Babylon takes centre stage in the book of Revelation immediately after the final bowl plague is poured out in Revelation 16:17–21. Two whole chapters are dedicated to explaining who or what Babylon is and her destruction (Rev 17–18). Despite the inordinate amount of space dedicated to revealing this fourth enemy of God’s people, the Christian world has not reached a consensus regarding her identity. In this article, I propose the following about the identity of Babylon in the book of Revelation.
Babylon is the city of the antichrist that has existed since the first anti-God city in history (Gen 11:1–9) and will continue to exist until Jesus returns and destroys it (Rev 17:1–19:5). She gives rise to all prostitute cities throughout history and everything that God finds abhorrent.
To support the above thesis, I will first analyze the name given to Babylon in Revelation 17:5. Second, I will analyze the relationship of Babylon to the Beast upon which she sits (17:7–18). Finally, I will conclude with a summary and some personal thoughts.
I. The Name Given to Babylon (Revelation 17:5)
Revelation 17:1–18 is a description of Babylon that is meant to help the reader understand who she is. One of the most telling descriptors is the name given to Babylon:
“And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: ‘Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.’”
REVELATION 17:5, emphasis added
The name that is given to Babylon will greatly aid in identifying her. There are three parts to the Babylon’s name: (1) Babylon the Great, (2) the Mother of Prostitutes, and (3) the Mother of Earth’s Abominations. Let’s take a brief look at each part of the Prostitute’s name.
A. “Babylon the Great”
The name that the interpreting angel gives the Prostitute in Revelation 17:5 begins with “Babylon the Great” (Βαβυλὼν ἡ μεγάλη). By calling the woman Babylon (Βαβυλών), John relates her to two of the most infamous cities in the Old Testament: the first anti-God city and one of the worst anti-God cities, both named Babylon.[1] The first city to which the Old Testament gives prominence is Babylon (בבל/Βαβυλών), who rebelled against God’s command to fill the earth (Gen 1:28; 9:1, 7; 11:1–9). Babylon is also the name of one of the worst anti-God cities in the Old Testament due to her destruction of Jerusalem, the temple, and her other atrocities (2 Kgs 25:1–10; Jer 50:14, 24, 29; 51:11, 24, 49). By relating the Prostitute to two of the most infamous cities in the Old Testament, the interpreting angel is clarifying that the woman is not just a city, but an anti-God city like the two cities entitled Babylon. As an anti-God ctity, she is opposed to both God and his people. Further, by identifying the Prostitute with the two Babylons of the Old Testament, the book of Revelation suggests she has a history that is intertwined with them.
The broader context of Revelation provides further confirmation that the Babylon is a city. The people of Revelation 17–18 call the woman a city (Rev 17:18; 18:10, 16, 18, 19, 21). The Prostitute is destroyed in the same way that a city would be destroyed (Rev 11:13; 16:19; 17:16). The Prostitute is contrasted with another city in Revelation that John anthropomorphizes, the New Jerusalem which is called the Bride of Jesus. Whereas the woman of Revelation 17:1–19:3 is called a prostitute, has many lovers, commits sexual immorality, and is characterized by impurities and abominations, the New Jerusalem is identified as a city, called a bride, is faithful to her husband, and is characterized by purity (Rev 19:7–8; 21:2, 9–11).
B. “Mother of Prostitutes”
The second part of the name that the interpreting angel gives to Babylon is “the Mother of Prostitutes” (ἡ μήτηρ τῶν πορνῶν; Rev 17:5). To call a woman a mother highlights that she has children and that she has power and influence over her children by virtue of her motherhood. Further, to call the woman of Revelation 17:1–19:3 “the Mother of Prostitutes” with no qualifiers on “Prostitutes,” such as “some” or “many,” suggests she is the mother of all prostitutes. Since the woman of Revelation 17:1–19:3 is a city, the name “the Mother of Prostitutes” suggests that the Prostitute is both the one who gives rise to all prostitute cities and the one who has power and influence over all prostitute cities. One can say, then, that the Prostitute is the progenitress of all prostitute cities (A precedent for a prostitute mother city who gives birth to prostitute daughter cities is set forth in Ezekiel 16:44–47).
Revelation also uses allusions to Old Testament prostitute cities in its description of the Prostitute, suggesting a relationship between the Prostitute of Revelation and other prostitute cities. Prostitute cities to which Revelation alludes are Sodom (Rev 11:8), Jerusalem at the time it crucified Jesus (11:8), Tyre, and Nineveh (Rev 11:8; 16:19; 18:23). Using Old Testament prostitute cities to describe Babylon suggests that these are daughter cities of the Prostitute. As a mother, the Prostitute is the sum of all her daughter cities, having in herself all the qualities and characteristics that her daughters exhibit.
C. “Mother of Earth’s Abominations”
The third part of the name that the interpreting angel gives to Babylon is “the Mother . . . of Earth’s Abominations” (ἡ μήτηρ . . . τῶν βδελυγμάτων τῆς γῆς; Rev 17:5). Abominations (βδελυγμάτων) refer to everything that God detests and finds abhorrent. Calling Babylon the mother of earth’s abominations indicates that she is the originator of all things abhorrent to God throughout the entire world and causes the inhabitants of the earth to do abominations and to be abominable.
D. Summary
After analyzing the three parts that make up the name of Babylon, a composite picture of her identity has begun to emerge. Babylon is not a woman, but an anti-God city that the angel anthropomorphized as a prostitute. As such, the name “the Mother of Prostitutes” without any qualifiers in combination with allusions to other prostitute cities suggests Babylon is the one who gives rise to all prostitute cities and is the power and influence behind those prostitute cities. Not only is Babylon the city that gives rise to all other prostitute cities, but she is the city that gives rise to everything on earth that God abhors and detests.
II. The Relationship of Babylon to the Beast upon Which She Sits (Rev 17:7–18)
Following the introduction and initial description of Babylon in Revelation 17:1–6, the interpreting angel states that he will reveal the mystery of the woman and the Beast that carries her.
“But the angel said to me, ‘Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her.’”
REVELATION 17:7, emphasis added
The Beast upon whom the woman rides in Revelation 17:7–18 is the same Beast that is described in 13:1–18. Both beasts have seven heads and ten horns (13:1; 17:7), and those who do not have their name written in the Lamb’s book of life will marvel at the Beast and worship it (13:3, 8; 17:8). I have dealt with the identity of the Beast in detail HERE. For now, allow me to briefly summarize the identity of the Beast before analyzing the relationship between the Beast and Babylon.
A. The Identify of the Beast Who Sits on Top of the Prostitute (Babylon)
The Beast is the antichrist. He is an ontological being who has been active throughout the world since before Jesus’ birth and will continue to be active until Jesus’ return. He opposes God, the Lamb, and the Lamb’s people, while seeking the worship of the non-Christian world. Thus, the Beast should not be identified as any human ruler, but should be recognized as an ontological being, like Satan, who is the power behind all anti-God human rulers. The Beast should also not be identified as any anti-God government, political entity, or culture, but should be recognized as an ontological being who is the power behind all rulers of these anti-God governments and political entities that cause anti-God cultures.
B. The Relationship between Babylon and the Beast
Now that the Beast upon which the Prostitute sits has been identified as the antichrist, the relationship between the Beast and Babylon may be elucidated for the purpose of further identifying Babylon. The Prostitute is described as “sitting on a scarlet beast” and as being carried by the Beast (Rev 17:3, 7). Since the Prostitute sits upon the Beast, the question of control, power, and authority arises. Normally, the one who rides upon a beast has control, power, and authority over the beast. However, Revelation never states that the Prostitute rides the Beast or has any control, power, or authority over it. Instead, Revelation uses language that allows the Beast to be the one who has control, power, and authority over the Prostitute, hence the emphasis on the Beast carrying the Prostitute, not the Prostitute riding the Beast (17:7). The picture of the Beast having power over the Prostitute is confirmed when the Beast turns on the Prostitute and destroys her (17:16–18).
The picture of the Beast having control, power, and authority over the Prostitute is also confirmed in light of the contrast between the Beast/Prostitute and the Lamb/Bride. Revelation contrasts the Beast with the Lamb and it contrasts the Prostitute with the Bride. The Bride, which is the New Jerusalem (Rev 21:2, 9–10), is the city of the Lamb. Revelation states that the New Jerusalem is the wife of the Lamb (21:9), the Lamb is the temple of the New Jerusalem (21:22), and the Lamb is the lamp of the New Jerusalem (21:23). Thus, the New Jerusalem is the city of the Lamb. Since both the Lamb and the Bride are contrasted with the Beast and the Prostitute, it logically follows that the Prostitute is the city of the Beast. The Beast is the ruler of the Prostitute, which is his city. Thus, the Prostitute is not one prostitute city among many that have appeared throughout history. Rather, she is the prostitute city, the ultimate city that is opposed to God, the Lamb, and the Lamb’s people. Further, since the Beast is an ontological being, who has existed for multiple millennia, will exist until the return of Jesus, and who is the power behind all anti-God rulers throughout history, then it follows that the Prostitute has also existed for multiple millennia, will exist until the return of Jesus, and is the power behind all anti-God cities throughout history.
The identity of Babylon as the city of the Beast that is the power behind all anti-God cities throughout history aligns well with the above conclusion that the Prostitute is the progenitress of all prostitute cities and anti-God cities throughout history. As the city of the Beast, the relationship between the Prostitute and the two Babylons of the Old Testament seen in the name “Babylon the Great” is refined by suggesting the Prostitute has existed since the first anti-God city, Babylon (Rev 17:5). Since the Beast has existed throughout much of history and has presumably been the power behind all anti-God rulers, it reasons that the city of the Beast has also existed throughout much of history and is the power behind the anti-God cities, including those labelled prostitute cities.
Identifying the Prostitute as a city that has existed for most of human history and has world-wide influence like the Beast explains how the Prostitute is able to be called “the Mother of Prostitutes and of Earth’s Abominations” (Rev 17:5). Since no human city has existed long enough and had world-wide power and influence, it is not possible for any human city, such as Jerusalem or Rome, to be the cause of all the abominations on earth. However, since the Prostitute is the antichrist’s city and is the power behind all of the anti-God cities throughout history, it is possible to attribute all of the earth’s abominations to her.
III. Summary and Concluding Thoughts
Babylon is the city of the Beast (the antichrist) that Revelation anthropomorphizes as “the great prostitute.” As the city of the Beast, Babylon has existed throughout much of human history and will continue to exist until Jesus destroys her just prior to his return (Rev 18:1–19:5). Babylon is called the mother of prostitutes, indicating that she is the progenitress of all prostitute cities throughout history and, thus, the power and influence behind all prostitute cities throughout history. Babylon is also called the mother of earth’s abominations, indicating that she is the one who gives rise to everything that God finds abhorrent and detestable on the earth.
A key question that must now be answered is “where is Babylon if she is a city in existence now?” The answer is that the city of Babylon exists in the heavenly realm. Since the Beast is an angelic being who exists in the heavenly realm and has influence in the earthly realm, it makes sense that the Beast’s city also exists in the heavenly realm and has influence in the earthly realm. Further, the New Jerusalem (the city of the Christ) that is contrasted with the Prostitute also exists in the heavenly realm and comes down “out of heaven from God” after the thousand years and the judgment of the living and the dead (Rev 21:10). Thus, it makes sense for the Prostitute to exist in the heavenly realm.
Finally, Babylon exists today and has influence today. Through her daughter cities, Babylon is actively seducing the world to commit sexual immorality with her. Those throughout the world who commit the things the Bible calls abominations, such as unsanctioned sexual conduct and idolatry, are committing sexual immorality with the Prostitute and are showing themselves to be worshippers of the Beast, not worshippers of Jesus. Further, those who trust in their cities, states, and governments for their well-being instead of Jesus are also committing sexual immorality with the Prostitute and are showing themselves to be worshippers of the Beast.
[1] The Greek Βαβυλών is frequently used to translate the Hebrew בבל in the Old Testament: Gen 10:10; 2 Kgs 17:24, 30; 20:12, 14, 17-18; 24:1, 7, 10-12, 15-17, 20-25:1; 25:6-8, 11, 13, 20-24, 27-28; Isa 13:1, 19; 14:4, 39:3, 6; 43:14; 47:1; 48:14, 20; Jer 20:4-6; 21:2; Ezek 12:13; 17:12, 16; 19:9; 21:24, 26; 23:17, 23; 24:2; 26:7; 29:18-19; 30:10, 24-25; 32:11; Mic 4:10; Zech 2:11; 6:10; Ps 87:4 [LXX 86:4]; 137:1, 8 [LXX 136:1, 8]; Esth 2:6; Dan 1:1; Ezra 1:11-2:1; 7:6, 9; 8:1; Neh 7:6; 13:6; 1 Chr 9:1; 2 Chr 32:31; 33:11; 36:6-7, 10, 18, 20. Andrew Dyck’s recent article, which provides a lexicographical analysis of בבל in Genesis 10:10 and 11:9, concludes that the Hebrew בבל should always be translated with the same word. When translating into English, בבל should be translated as “Babylon.” Andrew W. Dyck, “Babel or Babylon? A Lexical Grammatical Analysis of Genesis 10:10 and 11:9,” Jewish Biblical Quarterly 45 (2017): 237–42.