Awaken Bible Prophecy 7-12-23: The Harlot of Rome and Babylon

There’s been much written about the identity of Babylon and its richly deserved destruction as chronicled in Revelation 17-18.  Is it actual Babylon or symbolic about that locale?  Is it literally the rebuilt city in Iraq, or is it metaphorically Rome, or someplace else like New York City or Jerusalem?  I’ve spilled plenty of ink over this subject myself along with many other Bible teachers.  If you’re interested, I’ve linked a couple of my writings about this on my Rumble channel.

The reason for today’s explorations into God’s prophetic Word comes about because of my reading The Final Prophecies by Bill Salus.  In that book he has a chapter titled: What Happens to the Harlot World Religion After Her Desolation?  I hadn’t really given that much thought, but in considering Salus’ argument, I think he’s got a good point.

Given what Bill has suggested, I think we can come to an even fuller understanding of this demonic location that has brought such corruption and devastation to the earth as stated about the Harlot and her association with this place in Revelation 17:5:

And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth.

As usual, I take an idea and run with it by adding my additional thoughts and research.  This approach often provides a fuller understanding or even a somewhat different understanding from that of the original author.

So, let’s try to see what we might learn about this mystery and what light we can shed on this subject.

Transcript:

There’s been much written about the identity of Babylon and its richly deserved destruction as chronicled in Revelation 17-18.  Is it actual Babylon or symbolic about that locale?  Is it literally the rebuilt city in Iraq, or is it metaphorically Rome, or someplace else like New York City or Jerusalem?  I’ve spilled plenty of ink over this subject myself along with many other Bible teachers.  If you’re interested, I’ve linked a couple of my writings about this on my Rumble channel.

The reason for today’s explorations into God’s prophetic Word comes about because of my reading The Final Prophecies by Bill Salus.  In that book he has a chapter titled: What Happens to the Harlot World Religion After Her Desolation?  I hadn’t really given that much thought, but in considering Salus’ argument, I think he’s got a good point.

Given what Bill has suggested, I think we can come to an even fuller understanding of this demonic location that has brought such corruption and devastation to the earth as stated about the Harlot and her association with this place in Revelation 17:5:

And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth.

As usual, I take an idea and run with it by adding my additional thoughts and research.  This approach often provides a fuller understanding or even a somewhat different understanding from that of the original author.

So, let’s try to see what we might learn about this mystery and what light we can shed on this subject.

First, we’ll pray, then read briefly from God’s Word.  That’ll set the stage for our discussion.

<PRAY>

Scripture

Revelation 17:1-6

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.

The Harlot of Rome and Babylon

• To set the stage, we first have to discuss this Harlot of Revelation 17
• Who or what is she?
• How is she instrumental in this great end-times drama?
• As Dave Hunt argued in his classic book A Woman Rides the Beast, Bill Salus also in his books The Next Prophecies and The Last Prophecies describes the Harlot as the Roman Catholic Church (RCC), perhaps more specifically as the Vatican, which is the brain trust and driving force behind Catholicism
• There are numerous reasons for this identity
• Among them are:
  • The Catholic church is amillennial and believes that because it is God’s only true church, it will remain on earth during the Tribulation so as to lead people to a right relationship with God
  • The Catholic church very much mirrors the description of the church of Thyatira in Revelation 2
  • The Catholic church has chosen to exalt Mary, the mother of Jesus, as the ideal one to mediate for the sins of its people rather than Jesus Himself – she is thus called the Mediatrix
  • The Catholic church sees the work of Jesus on the cross as being inadequate to take away all our sins . . .
    • Thus, it imposes additional works of penance upon its people, making its doctrine not of grace through faith but requires additional burdens just like the Pharisees of old
  • There have been many Marian apparitions over the years that have deceived many and caused them to revere Mary, whether they are Catholic or not
    • The truth is that these apparitions are demonic manifestations whose purpose is to lead people away from Jesus as Savior and Lord
  • The Catholic church has taken upon itself the ecumenical gathering of all world religions under the umbrella of the Vatican by acclaiming Mary as their prophetic voice which Muslims and others revere
  • The Catholic church has a sordid history of persecuting those who refuse to adhere to its doctrine
    • This will play a significant role in the first half of the Tribulation
  • Just consider the pride the Catholic church will convey once the pre-Tribulation Rapture occurs
  • The Vatican will point out how – sadly – their “separated brethren” in the evangelical churches that refused to join with the RCC (Roman Catholic Church) in unity are now more than separated
  • They’ve been subject to divine judgment with their removal from the earth and are no longer privileged to be part of the one true church
  • In fact, because of the Vatican’s fascination with aliens and life on other planets, it may declare that our intergalactic brothers were used by God to remove those who were intractable in their false beliefs and doctrine
  • The RCC comprises almost 1.4 Billion people worldwide and has the infrastructure to impose the ecumenical One World Religion
  • In contrast, there are about 1.8 Billion Muslims in Islam today
  • As I’ve discussed many times, I believe the number of Muslims is about to change dramatically
  • Through a combination of the Psalm 83 War and the Gog-Magog War of Ezekiel 38-39, whereby Allah is shown to be totally feckless and without any power or authority against the God of the Bible, many, many Muslims will fall away
  • Where will they go?
  • Certainly, a large number will have had it with religion and become atheistic, or at least, agnostic
  • However, because Mary is a sacred figure to Islam, undoubtedly a huge number of Muslims will heed the call of the Vatican to join in their ecumenical church
  • Remember the Interfaith Movement which has gained much ground lately
  • Comprised of faith leaders from so-called Christianity – really Catholic and apostate evangelical pastors – plus Jewish priests and Islamic imams, this Interfaith alliance is touted by the United Nations, so it has significant funds behind it – and, of course, money always talks
  • The Vatican will be the driving organizational force behind this
  • If, as I’ve suggested that Bill Salus’ Alternative View of the opening of the initial Seal Judgments is correct, this will lend even greater impetus to the gathering might of the RCC
  • The Alternative View posits that the first 5 Seal Judgments are opened after the pre-Tribulation Rapture in the Gap Period prior to the official beginning of the 7-year Tribulation
  • You can learn more about this at the links noted below on my Rumble page
  • What the opening of these Seals does is provide the means for the Harlot to rise to world dominance
  • The revealing of the Antichrist with the subsequent wars, famines, and death provides the perfect vehicle for the RCC to snare many
  • Think of the suffering during this period and how the Catholic church will reach out with care and compassion, providing a place of hope and shelter
  • The only criterion is that those accepting this helping hand join the church
  • Think what an easy decision that will be
  • How many people might take advantage of this in their desperation?
  • While this is going on, there is a resurgence of true Christianity
  • These newly minted believers will read the Bible and discern that what Catholicism offers is false
  • Because they refuse to join this ever-growing movement, the RCC reinstitutes the mechanism it used to hunt down those it considered apostate during the Inquisition
  • The office in the Vatican for this purpose never went away
  • This headquarters of persecution was originally known as the Office of the Inquisition
  • The Vatican has never repudiated nor repented of its great iniquities, i.e. the murder of so many people who disagreed with Catholic doctrine in those Dark Ages
  • The name of this office was changed over 50 years ago to give it a more acceptable designation
  • Its name – what was the Office of the Inquisition – is now the Congregation of the Doctrine of Faith
  • Before he became Pope Benedict, Cardinal Ratzinger held the title of Grand Inquisitor in overseeing this department
  • They may have changed the ominous name of this department in the Vatican, but they left the title of the head guy enforcing the policies when the time is right
  • It is the true believers who will be killed and then gather at the foot of the throne in heaven as seen in the 5^th Seal, who stand firm against this demonic scourge from the Vatican in its persecuting rage as it reinstitutes the Inquisition
  • During the RCC’s rise in the Gap Period and its worldwide appeal and strength in the first 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation, Antichrist bides his time and allows the Harlot to use his political power
  • Thus, we see in Revelation 17 the Harlot riding the Beast
  • But there is trouble in paradise
  • After several years, the Ten Kings who rule the earth in conjunction with Antichrist apparently have issues with the Harlot
  • Perhaps the RCC demands more from these kings in some manner than what they are willing to give
  • As a result, they conspire to take her down – to destroy the Vatican
  • It may also be that Antichrist has a major hand in this from behind the scenes – whispering in the ears of these kings how the time of Harlot’s religion is at an end
  • As a result, we see the following in Revelation 17:16-17:

And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.

• The Ten Kings will confiscate all the wealth of the Vatican for use under the auspices of Antichrist in the furtherance of his One World Government
• Catholicism with all its influence as a religion is effectively destroyed
• The Harlot is no more as a world power – especially since the next act in the drama is that Antichrist will proclaim he is god in the holy temple
• His use of the RCC and allowing this Harlot to ride upon him is at an end
• But what then happens with the Harlot?
• Is there anything further about her that we should know?
• As it turns out, the answer is an emphatic YES!
• Remember the contention among Bible prophecy teachers about Babylon
• Is that simply symbolic of Rome or is it literal Babylon?
• I’ve previously argued that it’s both, but I’ve missed a crucial aspect of this until now
• I’ve stated that I believe ecclesiastical Babylon is Rome
• While commercial Babylon is the actual physical rebuilt location in Iraq
• Part of the dispute also centers around where Antichrist sets up his kingdom
• Many have thought it would be Rome
• Some number of Bible teachers have pointed at New York City or even Jerusalem
• These last two are both extremely problematic
• NYC and the America in which it resides will be nothing but a 3^rd rate husk from what it used to be at that time at the end of the Tribulation
• It should also be obvious that Jerusalem cannot be symbolic Babylon because it won’t be destroyed and become a barren wasteland as the Scripture prophesies
• Others of us have considered literal Babylon as Antichrist’s headquarters
• Maybe this is part of the Mystery and it’s both
• Babylon is very specifically called out in Isaiah for its destruction right along with other evil nations at that time
• We cannot dismiss that actual Babylon has been in God’s sight for thousands of years to completely destroy because of the wickedness that has come forth from it, yet that has never occurred
• Revelation 18 then echoes Isaiah 21 and 47 for Babylon’s destruction, but with some possibly confusing details
• One such is that Babylon is described as the place that persecuted and killed the prophets and saints (Revelation 18:24)
• It is described as the place that ruled over kings of the earth (Revelation 18:9)
• It’s also noted that it was a major place of trade because of the merchants of the earth gaining their wealth from her (Revelation 18:15)
• This would seem to lend credence to the idea that we’re talking about Rome as symbolic Babylon, since Rome certainly was behind these things
• But then we have verses such as Revelation 18:4:

Then I heard another voice from heaven saying,

“Come out of her, my people,
    lest you take part in her sins,
lest you share in her plagues;

• Adding to this is the description of Revelation 18:2:

And he called out with a mighty voice,

“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!
    She has become a dwelling place for demons,
a haunt for every unclean spirit,
    a haunt for every unclean bird,
    a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast.

• When have God’s people ever inhabited Rome or Babylon that they should be called out from that location?
• I should think certainly not during the Tribulation
• Literal Babylon has been the source of great demonic activity since the very beginning with the Tower of Babel
• It has been the reason for so many people embracing their sins, becoming pawns of Satan in worshiping pagan gods, and dying unrepentant deaths
• Certainly God would call out believers from such influence regardless of its physical locale
• This last verse – “Fallen, fallen” – is repeated from Isaiah concerning actual Babylon
• The oracle is in the midst of other prophecies specifying a number of nations which God will judge
• There’s no indication that Babylon noted in Isaiah is anything but actual, literal Babylon just like these other nations
• So how do we reconcile this Rome-Babylon conundrum?
• I think we do so by looking at Zechariah 5:5-11 about the prophet’s vision of a Woman in a Basket

Then the angel who talked with me came forward and said to me, “Lift your eyes and see what this is that is going out.” And I said, “What is it?” He said, “This is the basket that is going out.” And he said, “This is their iniquity in all the land.” And behold, the leaden cover was lifted, and there was a woman sitting in the basket! And he said, “This is Wickedness.” And he thrust her back into the basket, and thrust down the leaden weight on its opening.

Then I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, two women coming forward! The wind was in their wings. They had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between earth and heaven. Then I said to the angel who talked with me, “Where are they taking the basket?” He said to me, “To the land of Shinar, to build a house for it. And when this is prepared, they will set the basket down there on its base.”

• The Woman in the Basket is described as Wickedness
• The Harlot of Revelation 17:1-2 certainly fits that description as “the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.”
• This Harlot has made herself rich
• She resides in a place of Seven Hills – the very location of Rome
• She has had dominion over the kings of the earth
• She has encouraged the worship of a false god in the person of Mary rather than Jesus Christ Himself – this is Biblically described as sexual immorality, whoredom, and adultery
• The Harlot can be none other than Rome
• But there’s a mystery as Revelation 18:5 notes
• What if at least part of this mystery is that upon being desecrated by the Ten Kings, this woman, the Harlot – perhaps the ecclesiastical rulers of the Vatican – end up in actual Babylon as Zechariah’s vision indicates?
• Because of Babylon’s demonic history and influence throughout the world, what if the Harlot effectively goes to her natural home in the land of Shinar?
• What also if this is the headquarters of Antichrist – or perhaps he also moves there from Rome after the Ten Kings destroy the Vatican’s wealth?
• Perhaps the Vatican leaders come on their knees to him seeking help and a reprieve of sorts from the destruction that has come upon them?
• Now all together in one place you have religious plus commercial Babylon in this historic location where so much evil has been birthed and gone into the world
• With that, the stage is set for the ultimate destruction of both systems, and the home of evil personified, when Babylon falls in one hour as Revelation 18:10,19,21 describe:

They [the kings of the earth] will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say,

“Alas! Alas! You great city,
    you mighty city, Babylon!
For in a single hour your judgment has come.”

And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out,

“Alas, alas, for the great city
where all who had ships at sea
grew rich by her wealth!
For in a single hour she has been laid waste.

Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying,

“So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence,
and will be found no more;

• This is the last remnant of the Harlot world religion in the person of the RCC’s leaders from the Vatican, and it is God’s wrath enacted upon this source of demonic corruption that has been plying its power and influence worldwide since the beginning
• Both the Isaiah and Revelation prophecies come together as one because Rome and Babylon are now one
• Thus the mystery is revealed and destroyed
• As all this comes crashing down on Babylon, Antichrist and the False Prophet must somehow escape since they end up in Jerusalem for the final battle of the armies of the earth against God and His people
• Upon the end of that bloodbath, these two demonic Beasts are cast without further ado into the Lake of Fire
• They’ve already been judged and deemed guilty
• There’s no further need for any legalities concerning their fates
• Their end is written and never again are they heard from in their eternal agonies and torments

• What we’ve just described is a very possible coalescing of the two camps within Bible prophecy
• If you consider just Rome or just Babylon as the city destroyed in Revelation 18, I think you only get a partial picture
• When you add the Woman in the Basket from Zechariah 5 into the picture you can begin to see how at least part of the mystery is that they are both ultimately one
• This theory also provides a realistic interpretation of Zechariah’s vision
• How many of you could previously figure out who this Woman was?
• I certainly tried, but without success
• That vision had to mean something since it was from God

• All this is coming soon – it’s just a few years away
• The one thing I can definitively say is that I have no desire whatsoever to be around as this drama plays out
• Thankfully, God has given me and all of you who believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior a way out
• And yes, you post-Tribbers, we are escapists!
• God’s promise of the pre-Tribulation Rapture of His true church is – and must be – right around the corner
• As I’ve stated elsewhere – given how everything prophesied is lined up – the Tribulation has to begin shortly or we’ll have passed the point where the prophetic descriptions are valid
• The Rapture could be tonight, but it could also still be 1-2 years away despite our feelings that it must be now!
• I think God wants more of His children to experience that yearning and desire to be rid of this world because there are still a whole lot of Christians who are dug into this place
• And God is trying to break them free of their attachment
• We’ll see how it goes, but the one thing we must do is remain steadfast in our allegiance to the Lord
• It’s not easy, and it sometimes stinks because we get so tired
• But that’s part of the perseverance of the saints
• God will bring us home at just the right time
• You can count on that