September 15: THAT GREAT CITY
And another angel followed, saying, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” Revelation 14:8
In the dream that God gave to Nebuchadnezzar, there was a warning to the king not to put his hope and trust in the glittering, worldly kingdom that he had built. This warning was given in the purest of love. Even though Nebuchadnezzar did not take it well at first, God did not give up on him. Eventually, Nebuchadnezzar humbled himself before the LORD and was saved. It is a wonderful story of the faithfulness of our God; the humbled king’s testimony comprises chapter 4 of Daniel’s book. If God can save the prideful King Neb from his own desire for self-exaltation, we can be confident of His divine power to save each of us from the wide array of corrupting dangers and snares laid by the enemy of souls.
Another feature of ancient Babylon that is true of modern-day Mystery Babylon (Revelation 17:5) is the opulence of the city. Both are described as possessing golden features. Babylon was a golden cup in the Lord’s hand, that made all the earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore the nations are deranged (Jeremiah 51:7). Here we see that the Lord, in His divine wisdom, allowed Satan’s plan to continue that the world (and universe) would see the derangement that results. John the Revelator saw this prophetic vision of Babylon at the end of time: 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.
Under the influence of Mystical Babylon, world leaders and the earth’s inhabitants experience that same derangement when they ingest her false teachings. The prophetic Word tells us that she is one with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication (Revelation 17:2). An important detail of John the Revelator’s description of Mystery Babylon is the omission of the color blue. The LORD associates blue with loyalty and His law. This is an intentional omission on the part of the fallen woman (symbolic for church); for the mystical purpose of Babylon is to lure God’s people away from His Commandments. Satan especially hates those who love God and honor His commandments (see 12:17). In keeping them out of love for the Lord (John 14:15), loyal citizens of the heavenly city (Philippians 3:20) will not yield to the harlot woman. But in ignoring them, believers and unbelievers alike will fall victim to her deceptions. Chapters 17 & 18 of Revelation describe Babylon as a city of great wealth and abundant possessions. These are symbols of her extensive influence over the world.
Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel: tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners. And you shall have the tassel, that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the LORD and do them, and that you may not follow the harlotry to which your own heart and your own eyes are inclined, and that you may remember to do all My commandments, and be holy for your God.” Numbers 15:37-40 (see also Exodus 39:8; Revelation 22:14)