Luke 21:8

Christian, Be Not Deceived!

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As we have pointed out elsewhere, the destruction which befalls Babylon under the figure of the destruction of "Babylon the great ... that great city Babylon" (Rev. 18:2, 10, 18, 21) that has influenced or governed the spiritual and civil powers, is the same destruction which is meted out to Babylon under the figure of "the whore" in Rev. 17:16. Before the Lord presents to John the description of the loud cry calling God's people to come out of "Babylon the great ... that great city Babylon", He is careful to show the connection between the woman of Rev. 17 and the city of Rev. 18: they are one and the same. He informed John: 

“And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth" Rev. 17:18). Thus the connection between the contents of Rev. 17 and those of Rev. 18 is definitely linked by the Lord's own clear statement. In Rev. 17:5 the Babylonian whore has "upon her forehead a name written. MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT" and in v- 18 this same whore is said to be “that great city”. In Rev. 18 it is still the same "Babylon the great ... that great city ... that great city . . . this great city . . . that great city" vs. 2, 10, 16, 18, 21. The expression "the great whore" mentioned in Rev. 19:2 also carries forward the linking of the same theme concerning the same actors into Rev. 19. 

The fact that the name "Babylon" is mentioned times in the Revelation in various chapters–Rev. 14; 16; 17; 18–and on the 6th occasion (18:21-23) it is repeated 6 time's that the things of Babylon would "be found no more at all", shows that it is the same Babylon meant throughout. But this is only one of a number of things to be found in the Revelator's description concerning the work of Babylon and her overthrow that indicates that the various chapters in which the work and doom of Babylon are depicted should be read as a whole. Many items could be enumerated to show that the Revelator's numeric system corroborates our viewpoint that chapters 12 to 19 are to be understood as one description, which is developed by repetition and enlargement in each succeeding chapter until the grand climax is reached in a final, fuller description of the complete destruction of the forces of Babylon in the events associated with the second coming of our Lord. 

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CHAPTER SIXTEEN

THE BURNING AND DESOLATING OF THE BABYLONIAN WHORE (Rev. 17:16) IS THE 
SAME AS THE BURNING OF THE BABYLONIAN CITY DESCRIBED IN 
REVELATION 18. THE NECESSITY OF UNDERSTANDING REVELATION 17 AND 18 AS AN ENLARGEMENT OF THE (CONCLUDING PHASES) OF THE FINAL CONFLICT DEPICTED IN REVELATION, CHAPTERS 12 TO 16.

Chapters 12 to 19 of the Apocalypse deal with the great controversy from its inception in heaven until the desolation of the earth at the second advent. Rev. 12 presents the controversy from its commencement in heaven until the final conflict involving the remnant people of God who keep the commandments of God. Succeeding chapters are enlargements upon the concluding sections of the previous ones. That is, to illustrate our meaning, Rev. 12 traces the conflict down the ages until v. 17 focuses upon the final phase of that long-drawn-out conflict. Then Rev. 13 goes back to trace the origin of the Papacy: its doctrines from Babylon, its imperialism and worldly splendour from pagan Rome; its war upon the saints during the 1260 years of her supremacy at the end of which it receives its deathstroke and which is healed-then further details are given on how the war against the saints in the last days will be brought about by the support to be given to the beast by the lamb-like beast. Rev, 13 closes with details of the conflict intimated in Rev. 12:17. Before giving details of how that conflict will end with the destruction of the enemies of God and His people, Rev. 14 and 15 deal with the warning message and the close of probation. Then Rev. 16 enlarges upon the events to occur after the close of probation. 

Thus there is seen an unfolding of details concerning the final conflict briefly introduced in Rev. 12:17– each section ends with further details of that same conflict. Rev. 16 portrays graphically the fate of those who have sought to compel God's people to receive the mark of the beast and worship the image of the beast. Rev. 16 closes with special emphasis upon the 6th and 7th plagues–five plagues are described from v 2 to v: 11, ten verses in all; but it requires ten verses to describe the 6th and 7th plagues. Rev. 17 is, as we have shown in an earlier chapter, an enlargement of the world's crisis which is brought to a head under the 6th and 7th plagues. We now wish to show that Rev. 18 is a further enlargement of the destruction to come to the Babylonian whore (mentioned in Rev. 17:16) 

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under the figure of the burning of the Babylonian city. Thus there may be seen an orderly unfolding of details concerning the final conflict and fate of those who have made war upon God's people; en` the 19 chapter leads to the final description of the rewards of the faithful, and of those who have made war upon them. 

As Bible students know, it is not until the same principle of repetition with enlargement is applied to the book of Daniel, that the prophecy of Dan. 2 is seen as the skeleton outline of world history from ancient Babylon until the end of modern Babylon, and that subsequent chapters enlarge upon the essential features of that outline. When that principle is understood, not only does light shine forth from each succeeding chapter in turn, but that principle clearly establishes beyond question that the forces of Babylon are the only powers which could possibly be designated by the term "the king of the north". Not understanding the principles of repetition and enlargement (principles employed throughout Scripture) employed in the books of Daniel and Revelation, causes men to unwittingly spoil the grand sweep of these prophecies by bringing in something that is entirely foreign to the purpose for which these books were written. 

So by following the principle that succeeding chapters repeat and enlarge upon the theme mentioned earlier, all the chapters from Rev. 12 are seen as enlargements of the skeleton outline presented in Rev. 12. 

It follows that the battle of Armageddon (when interpreted as a battle between Heaven and earth, and not as a military battle of earthly armies fighting each other in Palestine) is not something foreign to the revelation in the proceeding (or succeeding) chapters concerning the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, but rather shows how the three are involved in the climax of the great drama. Also Rev. 17 is not segregated from the events of Rev. 16 but rather Rev. 17 is seen as throwing clearer and fuller light upon the climax of the final conflict which is the consummation of the outpouring of the 7 plagues. Similarly, the contents of Rev. 18 will not be separate from the contents of Rev. 17, but rather appreciated as an enlargement of those things portrayed so graphically in Rev. 17. 

Dividing the Bible into chapters and verses has been a great help in memorizing places where certain texts are found, and for general reference; but this convenience is apt to break the continuity of certain prophecies. The division of the chapters–Dan. 11:44, 45 and 12:1–may have helped to hide from some Bible students the vital connection between the king of the north going fort with great fury to slay many (resulting in his coming to his end) and the deliverance of God's people. 

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The division of Rev. 17 and 18 into two chapters also serves to hide the fact that these two chapters belong together. The failure to grasp this essential fact has caused some to differentiate between the Babylon of Rev. 17 and that of Rev. 18. In his comments on Rev. 17, Uriah Smith says: 

"This chapter has, we think, more especial reference to the old mother, or Catholic Babylon. In the next chapter, if we mistake not, we find brought to view the character and destiny of another great branch of Babylon, namely, the harlot daughters." In his comments on Rev. 18, he says : "And since the fall here introduced is a moral one, it must apply to some branch of Babylon besides, or outside of, the pagan or papal divisions" (pp. 729, 731, ed. 1891; pp. 713, 715 of Revised ed.). 

A somewhat rigid adherence to this man-made division of Rev. 17 and 18 into two chapters has resulted in a failure to grasp the full meaning of Rev. 17 in relation to the final conflict. Concerning that part of Rev. 17 which specifically portrays the manner in which the kings of earth assist the persecuting beast in making war upon God's remnant church, Uriah Smith says: 

"Thus language must refer to, the past, when the kingdoms of Europe were unanimous in giving their support to the Papacy. . . . It cannot apply to the future,"  

Concerning the burning and desolating of the Babylonian whore described in v. 16, he says: 

"A part of this work the nations of Europe have been doing for years. The completion of it, burning her with fire, will be accomplished when Rev. 18:8 is fulfilled." 

Thus it will be observed that he applied the major part of Rev. 17 to the past experience of the Papacy and was inclined to believe that Rev. 18 pertained mainly to the future with reference to apostate Protestantism, though he did see some connection between the burning of the whore (Rev. 17) and the burning of the city described in Rev. 18. However, had he understood that Rev. 17 is an enlargement particularly of the events associated with the concluding phases of the final conflict, especially of the 6th and 7th plagues, and had he applied the principle of repetition and enlargement, he would have seen the obvious fuller revelation concerning the burning of the whore (Rev. 17:16) in Rev. 18. 

We will now proceed to point out that Babylon of Rev. 17 and Babylon of Rev. 18 are one and the same Rev. 17:5 makes it clear that Babylon includes mother and her daughters, and the same is meant in Rev. 18. Notice the following comparisons: