Bablyon Revealed

Revelation 18:4

Introduction

Throughout history, empires have risen and fallen, each one claiming some form of divine right, ultimate authority, or eternal destiny. Among these, none perhaps made such bold claims as the Roman Empire. It was an empire that saw itself as the pinnacle of civilization, the bringer of peace, and the eternal city that would stand forever. These grandiose claims weren’t just political slogans; they were deeply woven into the fabric of Roman culture, religion, and identity.

The citizens of Rome, and particularly those in Asia Minor, were not merely passive recipients of this propaganda; they were deeply invested in it. They benefited from Rome's protection, prosperity, and prestige, and in return, they offered their loyalty and worship. To many, Rome was not just a political power; it was a divine force, the embodiment of order and peace in the world.

But into this context, the book of Revelation speaks a radically different message. John, through vivid visions and powerful symbols, pulls back the curtain to reveal Rome not as the eternal city or the divine savior, but as a beast, a harlot, and a corrupt empire destined for destruction.

This morning, we’re going to explore the stark contrast between Rome’s vision of itself and God’s vision of Rome as revealed in the book of Revelation. We’ll see how the early Christians were called to recognize this difference, to see their world through God’s eyes, and to courageously stand in opposition to the overwhelming pressures of their culture. And as we journey through this, we must ask ourselves—what are the parallels in our own society today? Are we willing to put on the lens of Revelation, to see our world as God sees it, and to live with the same courage and conviction as those early believers?

The Son of God

Rome’s Vision

The title Divi Filius was first adopted by Augustus, the first Roman emperor, as a way to emphasize his connection to the divine. This title portrayed the emperor as the "Son of God," linking his rule to divine authority and establishing his reign as sacred.

An inscription in the city of Priene (between Ephesus and Miletus) reads: “because Providence . . . has set all things in most perfect order by giving us Augustus, whom she filled with virtue that he might benefit humankind, sending him as a savior [sotera], both for us and for our descendants, that he might end war and arrange all things well, and because he, Caesar, by his appearing [epiphaneis], [. . .] surpassed all previous benefactors and leaves posterity no hope of another surpassing what he has done, and because the birthday of the god Augustus was the beginning of the good news [euangelion] for the world that came by reason of him.”

This inscription highlights several key elements of the imperial cult: Augustus as a savior (soter), his epiphany as a divine figure, and the good news (euangelion) of his birth—terms that directly parallel Christian language about Jesus.

The emperor was not only deified but also served as Pontifex Maximus, the high priest, thus positioning himself as the intermediary between the gods and the people. This role further solidified his divine status and reinforced his image as the ultimate religious authority.

Coins bearing the emperor's image often included divine titles and symbols, reinforcing the idea that the emperor was a god or a god-like figure. These images and titles permeated public life, ensuring that the emperor’s divine status was inescapable for Roman citizens.

The mythology surrounding the emperor’s divinity was continually reinforced through public ceremonies, monuments, literature, and even entertainment. This omnipresent portrayal left no room for questioning the emperor’s divine status.

God’s Vision

In stark contrast to Rome’s portrayal of its emperor, John begins the narrative in Revelation with God at the center and the Lamb of God by His side (Revelation 4:2-8; 5:11-14). Here, the true divine order is established, with God reigning supreme and Christ as the true Son of God, worthy of worship.

The phrase “Who was and Who is and Who is to come” (Revelation 1:4, 1:8) is likely a direct challenge to the imperial cult and similar phrases used in pagan worship, such as “Zeus was, Zeus is, Zeus will be, O great Zeus.” This biblical phrase asserts the eternal and unchanging nature of God, in contrast to the temporal and ultimately powerless reign of the Roman emperors who claimed divine status.

The Emperor claimed Zeus (or Jupiter in Roman tradition) as the source of his power and authority. However, Revelation reveals the true source of all power and authority as the eternal God, not a human ruler.

In the Roman Empire, Christians were viewed as a minority of outliers who refused to participate in emperor worship, leading to their persecution as antisocial and subversive. However, Revelation shows that the real minority is the empire itself, standing against the overwhelming power and authority of the true God.

Revelation 13:1-8 reveals the emperor not as a benevolent deity, but as a terrifying beast. This image starkly contrasts the Roman self-portrayal, showing the emperor as an agent of chaos and destruction rather than a divine savior.

Revelation 13:4 asks, "Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?" This is a direct echo of the worship language used for the emperor but is subverted to show the beast’s terrifying and oppressive nature. Contrast this with the questions in Psalms, such as "Who is like you, O Lord?" (Psalm 35:10; 71:19), which affirm God’s unmatched power mixed with His great comfort and care.

Finally, consider the contrast in how these figures relate to the people of the world. Revelation 13:7 describes the beast’s dominion over “every tribe and people and language and nation,” but Revelation 5:9 shows the Lamb who was slain as the one who truly brings together people from every tribe, language, people, and nation in redemptive worship.

Pax Romana

Rome’s vision

We again reference the inscription at Priene: “Providence…has set all things in most perfect order by giving us Augustus, whom she filled with virtue that he might benefit humankind, sending him as a savior [sotera], both for us and for our descendants, that he might end war and arrange all things well”

Ara Pacis Augustae (Altar of Augustan Peace)

Seutonius says, “The whole of Italy voluntarily took an oath of allegiance to him and demanded him as its leader in the war that was threatening from every side. But Augustus, far from being overwhelmed by such great demands, restored order to the whole world.”

Livy says, “Rome has become so great that even to measure up to its past successes is a most glorious and difficult achievement. Under Augustus, the Roman people, once the terror of the world, became the preserver of peace.”

“You Roman, remember: to rule the peoples under law, to establish the way of peace, to battle down the haughty, and to spare the meek.” - Virgil’s Aeneid

And this was all true to some degree.

God’s Vision

Rome is not in control of whether there is peace or chaos (Rev. 6:1-8).

The peace they accomplished was built on brutal bloodshed (Rev. 6:9-11; 16:5-6; 18:24; 17:6).

Even their own historians saw this: Imagining how a German chieftain would have commented on the advancing Roman army, he writes: “to violence, rapine, and plunder they give the name, ‘government’; they make a desert, and call it ‘peace’ - Tacitus

The true prince of peace is revealed as one slain - BY ROME (Rev. 5:6).

God also presents the stark contrast of His true peace with the false peace of Rome (Rev. 21:1-4; 22:1-5).

The Eternal City

Rome’s view:

In the Aeneid, which is about the origins of Rome, Virgil says this, “On them I impose no limits of time or place. I have given them an empire that will know no end.”

The belief was that Rome had come to be the pinnacle of civilization.

There is a game called Civilization that trades in this notion still.

The notion that we are always getting better.

It is not better if we believe that we have work to do yet but have improved thus far.

Rome had everything:

“Around lie the continents far and wide, pouring an endless flow of goods to Rome. There is brought from every land and sea whatever is brought forth by the seasons and is produced by all countries, rivers, lakes, and the skills of Greeks and foreigners. . . . Anyone who wants to behold all these products must either journey through the whole world to see them or else come to this city. . . . One can see so many cargoes from India or if you wish from Arabia . . . that one may surmise that the trees there have been left permanently bare, and that those people must come here . . . whenever they need anything!” - Aelius Aristides

Ovid says, “Rome shall grow until its power is wide as the world itself.”

Claudian, a late Roman poet wrote, "And the Roman name, which was once a small beginning, has grown to be so great that the very bounds of the world itself would scarcely contain it."

Essentially, to speak of the world is to speak of Rome and vice versa.

"While stands the Coliseum, Rome shall stand; when falls the Coliseum, Rome shall fall; and when Rome falls—the World."

Attributed to Martial, this shows the idea that as Rome goes, so goes the world.

The thing is, this was true. When Rome eventually fell, the dark ages are what followed. None if this is to say that Rome was not a great and magnificent power.

It is to say that such magnificence was ultimately meaningless without God’s favor.

They ended up as just another empire to be swept aside and not even the greatest one at that.

They made a goddess of their city - Roma

God’s View

Instead of a beautiful goddess, God sees a ravenous prostitute (Rev. 17:5).

Shortly after she is introduced, she falls (Rev. 18:2).

Note how this connects to Dan. 2:44 and the dream of Nebudchanezzar.

Not only does each kingdom fall, including Rome, but Rome is a type of Babylon and not the other way around.

There is only one eternal city and it is where God Himself dwells (Rev. 21:1-4).

Notice some distinctions:

The harlot arrayed in clothes indicating wealth and the bride adorned in clothes indicating purity (Rev. 17:4; 19:7-8).

The harlot holds a cup full of her abominations, the brides carries (in the white of her clothes) the righteous deeds of the saints.

The harlot has fornicated with the kings of the world, the bride is married to the king of kings (Rev. 17:1-2; 19:7).

The harlot becomes the dwelling place of demons and unclean spirits, the bride becomes the dwelling place of God (Rev. 18:2; 21:3-4).

Asia Minor and Rome

There were great advantages in being in Rome’s good graces:

“Tiberius provided financial assistance to rebuild several cities in Asia Minor after an earthquake in 17 C.E. Nero dredged the harbor of Ephesus, restoring the city’s most important economic asset. Domitian provided Laodicea with a stadium and Smyrna with an aqueduct. Rome could be a great safety net and a source of significant blessings.” DeSilva, David A.. Unholy Allegiances

The cities of Asia minor were particularly energetic in their support of Rome.

“By the end of the first century C.E., thirty-five cities in Asia Minor held the honorific title of “temple warden” (neokoros) of an imperial cult site. All seven cities addressed by John had cultic sites: six (all but Thyatira) had imperial temples; five (all but Philadelphia and Laodicea) had imperial altars and subsidized priesthoods.” DeSilva, David A.. Unholy Allegiances

Pergamum was first awarded the title of “temple warden” which was basically a privilege to host a temple dedicated to Emperor worship and was subsidized by the Roman government. Ephesus was later awarded the title so Pergamum began to claim the first to be awarded “temple warden.” Then Pergamum was awarded the title a second time when they built another temple and so referred to themselves as twice temple warden. Ephesus was awarded the title a second time for building a temple to Hadrian and so was also made twice temple warden. So Pergamum began to refer to itself as first to be twice temple warden. All this to say, they not only participated in temple worship but vied for the privilege of being the most fervent.

They were invested in ways that would have made it hard to see the downside of Rome’s power.

They needed to decide whose image they were going to bear (Rev. 13:16-17; 14:1).

Conclusion

I do not see many of the parallels in America an Babylon that some commentators see. In fact, I believe some commentators are wrong in what they even see as the real problem with Rome. The same is certainly true for America.

But, America has become known not for liberty and truth, but public profanity, sexual depravity, and unbridled materialism.

I’m Proud to be an American is a song about what we wish America was.

But we need to have a keen awareness of what it actually is in God’s eyes and act accordingly.

The pulls to compromise are going to get harder. Are you ready to set down all the peace a prosperity that being in good graces with our cultural rulers affords you?

The churches of Asia minor had to be willing to scorn the privileges of being favored by Rome.

Think of all the ways we depend on the good graces of our governing authorities.

And if you are struggling to give up participation in the culture because you will be left out of merely approval, how will you stand when they say you don’t have a job if you don’t participate?

Revelation is a lens through which to see the world they were living in. A world where everyone seemed to believe that things were as progressed as they could be at the same moment that God’s people were suffering most.

That is not a message that has grown stale.

Would you put on those lenses and look with God’s vision and be willing to courageously stand in opposition to a world that is ever led by beasts directed by the Dragon himself?