"Abominable Babylon"

Revelation A. Babylon Described (17:1–6)

The point of the prophecy is to enable us to face the form of Babylon that exists in our own day.

*(Verse 2) - “acts of immorality” was used frequently in the OT to describe a people turning away from God and entering into life-distorting relationships with powers other than God.

*“abominable” is related to ‘obscenities’ which in some translations refers to ‘detestable practices.’

*(Verse 15) defines the meaning of ‘waters’ in verse 1 that the harlot sits on.

The history of Babylon:

Genesis 11:1-9 shows the descendants of Noah gathering east to Shinar - the ancient location of Babylon. They organized together to build a tower (babel) so from their own strength and resources they could reach God. Genesis 11:4 shows a direct rejection of God’s original command to be ‘fruitful and multiply’ and fill the earth. [Note Swindoll on page 245 - about waterproof bricks; apparently they didn’t trust God to keep His promises] The tower of babel represents then the three great features of godlessness: see Swindoll page, 245

Babylon is mentioned 6 times in Revelation

It seems best to identify ‘Babylon’ not specifically as a particular city or country, but as the representation of a final godless, humanistic, and nationalistic worldwide religious system.

*(Verses 9-11) These verses are as challenging to interpret as any in the entire Book of Revelation