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Attribute | The Harlot
(Revelation [[17|bible.87.17.1]]+) | The City
(Revelation [[18|bible.87.18.1]]+, [[19|bible.87.19.1]]+) |
Named "Babylon the Great." | Rev. [[17:4|bible.87.17.4]]+ | Rev. [[18:2|bible.87.18.2]]+ |
Called "The Great Harlot." | Rev. [[17:17|bible.87.17.17]]+ | Rev. [[19:2|bible.87.19.2]]+ |
Holding a cup. | Rev. [[17:4|bible.87.17.4]]+ | Rev. [[18:6|bible.87.18.6]]+ |
Fornicating with kings. | Rev. [[17:2|bible.87.17.2]]+ | Rev. [[18:3|bible.87.18.3]]+ |
Drunk with wine of immorality. | Rev. [[17:2|bible.87.17.2]]+ | Rev. [[18:3|bible.87.18.3]]+ |
Persecuting believers. | Rev. [[17:6|bible.87.17.6]]+ | Rev. [[18:20|bible.87.18.20]]+, [[24|bible.87.18.24]]+; [[19:2|bible.87.19.2]]+ |
Destroyed by fire. | Rev. [[17:16|bible.87.17.16]]+ | Rev. [[18:8|bible.87.18.8]]+, [[18|bible.87.18.18]]+ |
Destroyed by God. | Rev. [[17:17|bible.87.17.17]]+ | Rev. [[18:5|bible.87.18.5]]+, [[8|bible.87.18.8]]+ |
Clothed with purple, scarlet, gold, precious stones, pearls. | Rev. [[17:4|bible.87.17.4]]+ | Rev. [[18:16|bible.87.18.16]]+ |
Wealthy. | Rev. [[17:4|bible.87.17.4]]+ | Rev. [[18:3|bible.87.18.3]]+, [[7|bible.87.18.7]]+, [[12-14|bible.87.18.12-87.18.14]]+ |
Sitting. | Rev. [[17:1|bible.87.17.1]]+, [[7|bible.87.17.7]]+, [[15|bible.87.17.15]]+ | Rev. [[18:7|bible.87.18.7]]+ |
Global influence. | Rev. [[17:1-2|bible.87.17.1-87.17.2]]+, [[15|bible.87.17.15]]+, [[18|bible.87.17.18]]+ | Rev. [[18:3|bible.87.18.3]]+, [[9|bible.87.18.9]]+, [[11|bible.87.18.11]]+, [[19:2|bible.87.19.2]]+ |
Spiritual wickedness. | Rev. [[17:5|bible.87.17.5]]+ | Rev. [[18:23|bible.87.18.23]]+ |
The question is, how different from the Babylon of chapter 17 is the Babylon of chapter 18? Undoubtedly the city is the same in both instances. Both have the name "Babylon the great" (Rev. [[17:5|bible.87.17.5]]+; [[18:2|bible.87.18.2]]+). Both are guilty of fornication (Rev. [[17:1|bible.87.17.1]]+, [[2|bible.87.17.2]]+, [[4|bible.87.17.4]]+, [[5|bible.87.17.5]]+, [[16|bible.87.17.16]]+; [[18:3|bible.87.18.3]]+) and of causing the kings of the earth and the earth-dwellers to imbibe of the wine (of the anger) of the city's fornication (Rev. [[17:2|bible.87.17.2]]+; [[18:3|bible.87.18.3]]+). The destiny of both is to be burned with fire (Rev. [[17:16|bible.87.17.16]]+; [[18:8|bible.87.18.8]]+, [[9|bible.87.18.9]]+, [[18|bible.87.18.18]]+) and to become an utter desolation (Rev. [[17:16|bible.87.17.16]]+; [[18:17|bible.87.18.17]]+, [[19|bible.87.18.19]]+). In both chapters Babylon is "the great city" (Rev. [[17:18|bible.87.17.18]]+; [[18:10|bible.87.18.10]]+, [[16|bible.87.18.16]]+, [[18|bible.87.18.18]]+. 19, 21) and wears the apparel and adornment of a harlot (Rev. [[17:4|bible.87.17.4]]+; [[18:16|bible.87.18.16]]+). Both are responsible for the martyrdom of the faithful (Rev. [[17:6|bible.87.17.6]]+; [[18:20|bible.87.18.20]]+, [[24|bible.87.18.24]]+ [cf. [[19:2|bible.87.19.2]]+]).2
We also note that in the prediction of Babylon's demise by the flying angel there is not the slightest intimation of two systems or two destructions. Moreover, in the angel's description of Babylon, he calls it a "great city" (commercial) which is guilty of "fornication" (spiritual idolatry) (Rev. [[14:8|bible.87.14.8]]+). There the self-same Babylon is described using both commercial and spiritual attributes. This unity is also evidenced under the seventh bowl where "Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath" (Rev. [[16:19|bible.87.16.19]]+). Only one Babylon is in view and its destruction is associated with a single judgment--the pouring forth of the last bowl of the wrath of God. We see no evidence of a separate judgment for the Harlot and a subsequent judgment of the city--as if they were two different entities.Another factor favoring the unity of Revelation [[17|bible.87.17.1]]+ and [[18|bible.87.18.1]]+ is the announced mission of the angel sent to John: "I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters" (Rev. [[17:1|bible.87.17.1]]+). This angel is with John from Revelation [[17:1|bible.87.17.1]]+ throughout both chapters and speaks to him again in Revelation [[19:19|bible.87.19.19]]+.3 The act of showing John the judgment (singular) of the great harlot (singular) spans Revelation [[17:1|bible.87.17.1]]+ through Revelation [[19:4|bible.87.19.4]]+. The same event is in view the entire time. The angel gives not the slightest indication that John is being shown two entities and two destructions.If we look at these two chapters carefully [Rev. [[17|bible.87.17.1]]+ and [[18|bible.87.18.1]]+], we fail to find the distinction so persistently affirmed. Some one states a thing as a fact; and then others think they see it. There is no such thing as "Mystic Babylon." The Babylon mentioned in chapter [[17|bible.87.17.1]]+ is the same as that in chapter [[18|bible.87.18.1]]+. It is the "Woman" which is a secret symbol or sign. But that means only that we are not to take it literally as a woman, but as "that great city," as is explained in [Rev. [[17:18|bible.87.17.18]]+].4
The idea that the Harlot is something other than the city of Babylon is difficult to maintain if Scripture alone is our guide. The Harlot is called a city (Rev. [[17:18|bible.87.17.18]]+) while the city is described as a harlot (Rev. [[18:3|bible.87.18.3]]+, [[9|bible.87.18.9]]+, [[23-24|bible.87.18.23-87.18.24]]+) and called "the great harlot" (Rev. [[19:2|bible.87.19.2]]+). The Harlot is that great city Babylon!Notes
1 "A strong exegetical case can be made to support the proposition that Revelation [[17|bible.87.17.1]]+ and [[18|bible.87.18.1]]+ should be viewed as a unit speaking of one Babylon rather than two separate units speaking of two Babylons. The notion of viewing Revelation [[17|bible.87.17.1]]+ and [[18|bible.87.18.1]]+ as a unit is buttressed by noting the similarities between the chapters. Both chapters refer to Babylon as having the same name (Rev. [[17:5|bible.87.17.5]]+; [[18:2|bible.87.18.2]]+), holding a cup (Rev. [[17:4|bible.87.17.4]]+; [[18:6|bible.87.18.6]]+), fornicating with kings (Rev. [[17:2|bible.87.17.2]]+; [[18:3|bible.87.18.3]]+), being drunk with the wine of immorality (Rev. [[17:2|bible.87.17.2]]+; [[18:3|bible.87.18.3]]+), persecuting believers (Rev. [[17:6|bible.87.17.6]]+; [[18:24|bible.87.18.24]]+), experiencing destruction by fire (Rev. [[17:16|bible.87.17.16]]+; [[18:8|bible.87.18.8]]+), and experiencing destruction by God (Rev. [[17:17|bible.87.17.17]]+; [[18:5|bible.87.18.5]]+, [[8|bible.87.18.8]]+)." -- Andy Woods, What is the Identity of Babylon In Revelation 17-18?.
2 Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22 (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1995), Rev. 18:1.
3 "The speaker [at Rev. [[19:9|bible.87.19.9]]+] is one of the angels of the seven last plagues who initiated his role as John's guide in Rev. [[17:1|bible.87.17.1]]+." -- Thomas, Revelation 8-22, Rev. 19:9.
4 E. W. Bullinger, Commentary On Revelation (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1984, 1935), Rev. 18:2.
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