“On her forehead a mysterious name was written: I AM THE GREAT CITY OF BABYLON, THE MOTHER OF EVERY IMMORAL AND FILTHY THING ON EARTH” (Revelation 17:5 CEV).
The Scriptures mention ” Babylon” over two hundred and fifty times within the pages of the Old and New Testaments. We can gain insight into the spiritual aspect of “Babylon” when we examine this word in greater detail. The name “Babylon” is derived from the word “babel.” The “Bab” portion of that word means “gate” and the “el” portion refers to God. When we put those segments together, we arrive at the following definition: “gateway to God.” (1)
Humanity’s most obvious attempt to build such a gateway appears in Genesis chapter eleven. That portion of Scripture relates the account of the Tower Of Babel…
“Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. Then they said to one another, ‘Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.’ They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. And they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth'” (Genesis 11:1-4).
So these builders had two primary objectives…
- They sought to construct a tower that would enable them to advance to the heavens on their own terms.
- They sought to make a name for themselves.
However, there was someone who was notably absent from that building project. That Person was God Himself. This helps us understand this reference to Babylon in our text from Revelation 17:5. The Babylonian approach to religious observance, political leadership, and/or economic practice is characterized by a human-oriented ideology. That mindset has little or no concern for God or His will (if it acknowledges God at all). Instead, it seeks self-deification on its own merits, often in an aggressively humanistic fashion.
This philosophical perspective is rooted in the ancient mindset that sought to erect the Tower of Babel. (2) Unfortunately, that ideology may sometimes lead to violent confrontations with those who seek to honor God. For instance, Revelation 17:6 will go on to tell us that this woman was intoxicated with the blood of God’s saints. That disturbing word-picture reminds us that peaceful co-existence between those who serve God and those who don’t, may be an elusive ideal.
Thus, we can apply Jesus’ message to His disciples in a modern-day context: “Now go, but remember, I am sending you like lambs into a pack of wolves” (Luke 10:3 CEV).
Image Attribution: Александр Михальчук, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
(1) See G897 – babylon – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (kjv). (n.d.). Blue Letter Bible. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g897/kjv/tr/0-1/ and “Babylon” – Easton’s Bible Dictionary – Bible Gateway. (n.d.). https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/eastons-bible-dictionary/Babylon
(2) For a detailed study of this topic see Genesis – Chapter Eleven https://traed.net/wp-content/uploads/11-Genesis-Chapter-Eleven.pdf