Who Or What Is Babylon the Great – Part 2

What the Early Church Fathers Taught

Determining the date of the book of Revelation proved to be much more difficult than I anticipated. There appear to be valid historical arguments in favor of both an early date, prior to the death of Nero, (68 CE) and a late date, prior to the death of Domitian (98 CE). So, in the previous article I concluded that the wise course would be to give greater authority to the internal evidence, and allow what Revelation itself says to help us interpret the historical data rather than allow the historical data to shape our interpretation of the book. The same should apply to understanding the symbols, particularly Babylon the Great in this case.

There were certain things in the Revelation that John could not understand and needed the angel to explain to him which indicates that the message was meant to be understood. Likewise, Irenaeus admitted there were things that those living in his day could not understand unless John had given further explanation to those who were able to speak to him before he died. This could indicate that certain features of the message understood by Christians living prior to Irenaeus were important only for them to know. But an argument from silence is one without a foundation. So without evidence of that we cannot rely upon it.

Rather let’s examine carefully John’s description of the woman but especially the angel’s explanation of the symbols:

So the angel said to me: “Why is it that you were amazed? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the wild beast that is carrying her and that has the seven heads and the ten horns: 8 The wild beast that you saw was, but is not, and yet is about to ascend out of the abyss, and it is to go off into destruction. And the inhabitants of the earth—those whose names have not been written in the scroll of life from the founding of the world—will be amazed when they see how the wild beast was, but is not, and yet will be present. 9 “This calls for a mind that has wisdom: The seven heads mean seven mountains, where the woman sits on top. 10 And there are seven kings: Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet arrived; but when he does arrive, he must remain a short while. (Revelation 17:7-10)

According to the NKJV Cultural Studies Bible:

“A few sources in John’s day acknowledged that Rome’s rich indulged themselves at the expense of the rest of the empire. Most Roman sources that criticized luxury, however, did so merely because it corrupted aristocrats and made them dependent. While perhaps sharing some of this critique (cf. arrogance in v. 7), Revelation explicitly condemns Rome for profiting at the expense of the empire.”

“the woman sits on seven mountains (Rev. 17:9); ancient writers regularly portrayed Rome in this manner.”

However, even though that may be the view of ancient writers, it is important to note that is not exactly how the angel explains to John the meaning of the seven mountains. We must remember that when John is first shown the woman she is said to be sitting on a scarlet beast. (Rev. 17:3)

So the woman is not said to be sitting literally on seven mountains. She is said to be sitting on the beast with seven heads. The angel then goes on to explain that the seven heads mean seven mountains. The mountains are clearly associated with the beast and are not to be taken literally. In prophecy, mountains are often used as a symbol of authority or rulership:

At that time the iron, the clay, the copper, the silver, and the gold were, all together, crushed and became like the chaff from the summer threshing floor, and the wind carried them away so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a large mountain, and it filled the whole earth. (Daniel 2:35)

“Here I am against you, O destructive mountain,” declares Jehovah, “You destroyer of the whole earth. I will stretch out my hand against you and roll you down from the crags And make you a burned-out mountain.” (Jeremiah 51:25)

Since the angel explains that the mountains are kings, determining the identity of these kings and when they ruled can help us in determining when Revelation was written. Who are these seven kings?

In his commentary on Revelation, Victorinus writing about 270 CE explains:

“And there are seven kings: five have fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he is come, he will be for a short time.”] The time must be understood in which the written Apocalypse was published, since then reigned Cæsar Domitian; but before him had been Titus his brother, and Vespasian, Otho, Vitellius, and Galba. These are the five who have fallen. One remains, under whom the Apocalypse was written – Domitian, to wit. “The other has not yet come,” speaks of Nerva; “and when he is come, he will be for a short time,” for he did not complete the period of two years. (Victorinus On the Apocalypse of John 2)

This helps us to see that the early Church fathers associated these seven kings with emperors of Rome, not world powers including Rome. It is Victorinus’ understanding that the one ruling at the time John received the Revelation was Domitian. He then starts with Domitian and counts backward. His list, therefore, does not include all of the Roman emperors:

List of Roman Emperors in the 1st century CE

• Julius Caesar (100 BCE-44 BCE)^[1]
• Augustus – Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus (31 BCE–14 CE)

• Tiberius – Tiberius Claudius Nero (14–37 CE)
• Caligula – Gaius Caesar Germanicus (37–41 CE)
• Claudius – Tiberius Claudius Nero Germanicus (41–54 CE)
• Nero – Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, also called Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus, original name Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus (54–68 CE)
• Galba  -Servius Galba Caesar Augustus (68–69 CE)
• Otho – Marcus Otho Caesar Augustus (January–April 69 CE)
• Aulus Vitellius (July–December 69 CE)
• Vespasian – Caesar Vespasianus Augustus (69–79 CE)
• Titus -Titus Vespasianus Augustus (79–81 CE)
• Domitian – Caesar Domitianus Augustus (81–96 CE)
• Nerva -Nerva Caesar Augustus (96–98 CE)

If Victorinus is correct, we must wonder why the angel did not say eleven have fallen. On the other hand, if the seven kings identified by the angel begin with Julius Caesar, then the sixth one, the one that is, after the five that have fallen would be Nero. This would place the writing of Revelation during the reign of Nero and prior to the destruction of Jerusalem. This would have obvious implications for understanding the message in Revelation as being necessary to prepare first century Christians for the events that would include the end of the Jewish system of worship and beyond.

Let’s return again to the opening words of Revelation:

A revelation by Jesus Christ, which God gave him, to show his slaves the things that must shortly take place. And he sent his angel and presented it in signs through him to his slave John, 2 who bore witness to the word God gave and to the witness Jesus Christ gave, yes, to all the things he saw. 3 Happy is the one who reads aloud and those who hear the words of this prophecy and who observe the things written in it, for the appointed time is near. (Revelation 1:1-3)

From this it seems clear that the purpose of the book was to provide valuable information to those who would receive it. Information that would have the effect of causing them to rejoice as well as things necessary for them to observe and apply. Why? John clearly says because the appointed time is near.

Consider other places in scripture where this expression occurs.

Regarding this, Albert Barnes comments:

“The phrase used here ἐν τάχει en tachei occurs in Luke 18:8, “He will avenge them speedily” (literally with speed). “Arise up quickly,” Acts 12:7. “Get time quickly out of Jerusalem,” Acts 22:18. “Would depart shortly,” Acts 25:4. “Bruise Satan under your feet shortly,” Rom. 16:20; and Rev. 1:1; Rev. 22:6. The essential idea is, that the thing which is spoken of was soon to occur, or it was not a remote and distant event. There is the notion of rapidity, of haste, of suddenness. It is such a phrase as is used when the thing is on the point of happening, and could not be applied to an event which was in the remote future, considered as an independent event standing by itself. The same idea is expressed, in regard to the same thing, in Rev_1:3, “The time is at hand” – ὁ γὰρ καιρὸς ἐγγύς ho gar kairos engus; that is, it is near, it is soon to occur. (Barnes Notes on the New Testament)

Barnes makes an excellent point. The only scripture in his list that I had reservations with was Romans 16:20. Since Satan is still active in our day, I wondered how it could be said that he would be placed under the feet of those Christians shortly.

Barnes himself explains:

It denotes Paul’s confidence that they “would” gain the victory, and would be able to overcome all the arts of those who were endeavoring to sow discord and contention among them. (Barnes Notes on the New Testament)

So, in saying “the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly”, Paul was not referring to the future abyssing of Satan or his final destruction, but to Christian’s victory over him. Similar to Jesus joyful expression at the success of the ministry of his 70 disciples. (Luke 10:17,18)

Hence, the most obvious conclusion one would come to from a straightforward reading of the words “the appointed time is near” would be to see this as preparation of the first century readers for events that would soon have an impact on them. It is not difficult to see how this would be important for the seven congregations addressed in the first 3 chapters. But there is a specific warning in Revelation chapter 18 that is the focus of this article:

And I heard another voice out of heaven say: “Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues. (Revelation 18:4)

Was this warning given so that Christians at some undetermined point in the future would need to take action? If so, it would be important for them to know first of all the identity of Babylon, secondly the particular time to get out of her and thirdly how to do so. Yet, in the whole of Revelation, other than a period of 1,000 years, which for that matter may indeed be symbolic and not meant to be taken literally at all, John gives his readers no time markers.

Additionally, there occurs only one time where he is told not to write what he heard. (Rev. 10:4) But rather than saying these things are disclosed to be interpreted at a later time, they are not to be written down and disclosed at all. Unlike Daniel and other prophets, he does not say this particular feature is for the “time of the end”.[2] All John and his readers had to go on is what the angel had already said at the outset, that these are “things that must shortly take place” and “the appointed time is near”. 

What did the earliest Christian writers interpret this symbol to mean? In a search of the terms Babylon and Harlot in the Anti-Nicene Fathers I was able to determine that the early Christians understood Babylon as referring to Rome.[3]

They viewed this as a warning to keep separate from the vices of Roman society. There is no evidence that the earliest Christians interpreted Babylon the Great as a future empire of false religion.

For example, Tertullian[4] wrote:

 “These (put their trust) in chariots, and these in horses; but we will seek our help in the name of the Lord our God. (Psa 20:7) From so much as a dwelling in that Babylon of John’s Revelation (Rev. 18:4) we are called away; much more then from its pomp. The rabble, too, are crowned, at one time because of some great rejoicing for the success of the emperors; at another, on account of some custom belonging to municipal festivals. For luxury strives to make her own every occasion of public gladness. But as for you, you are a foreigner in this world, a citizen of Jerusalem, the city above. Our citizenship, the apostle says, is in heaven. (Php 3:20) (The Chaplet chapter 13)

“So, again, Babylon, in [the writings of] our own John, is a figure of the city Rome. For she is equally great and proud of her sway.” (An Answer to the Jews Chapter ix)

We have no writings of Christians, earlier than Tertullian, (c. 160-230) that shed light on how they identified the great harlot. Can this be the only interpretation? When we carefully examine Revelation, however, there are descriptions of Babylon that are difficult to line up with it being Rome.

The Woman Sits On a Scarlet Colored Beast

And he carried me away in the power of the spirit into a wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet-colored wild beast that was full of blasphemous names and that had seven heads and ten horns. (Revelation 17:3)

So the angel said to me: “Why is it that you were amazed? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the wild beast that is carrying her and that has the seven heads and the ten horns: (Revelation 17:7)

If the harlot is Rome, what is the identity of this beast?

“So the angel said to me: “Why is it that you were amazed? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the wild beast that is carrying her and that has the seven heads and the ten horns: 8 The wild beast that you saw was, but is not, and yet is about to ascend out of the abyss, and it is to go off into destruction. And the inhabitants of the earth—those whose names have not been written in the scroll of life from the founding of the world—will be amazed when they see how the wild beast was, but is not, and yet will be present. 9 “This calls for a mind that has wisdom: The seven heads mean seven mountains, where the woman sits on top. 10 And there are seven kings: Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet arrived; but when he does arrive, he must remain a short while. 11 And the wild beast that was but is not, it is also an eighth king, but it springs from the seven, and it goes off into destruction. 12 “The ten horns that you saw mean ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they do receive authority as kings for one hour with the wild beast. (Revelation 17:7-12)

Here is Irenaeus interpretation:

“In a still clearer light has John, in the Apocalypse, indicated to the Lord’s disciples what shall happen in the last times, and concerning the ten kings who shall then arise, among whom the empire which now rules [the earth] shall be partitioned. He teaches us what the ten horns shall be which were seen by Daniel, telling us that thus it had been said to him: “And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, who have received no kingdom as yet, but shall receive power as if kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and give their strength and power to the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them, because He is the Lord of lords and the King of kings.” (Rev. 17:12, etc.) It is manifest, therefore, that of these [potentates], he who is to come shall slay three, and subject the remainder to his power, and that he shall be himself the eighth among them. And they shall lay Babylon waste, and burn her with fire, and shall give their kingdom to the beast, and put the Church to flight. After that they shall be destroyed by the coming of our Lord. (Irenaeus Against Heresies Book 5 chapter 26 par. 1)

So according to Irenaeus, the beast is the empire that was ruling at the time, which was Rome. But if the harlot is Rome that would mean Rome was riding on Rome and would eventually be destroyed by Rome. Is this a picture of the Roman aristocracy living in luxury at the expense of the Empire or is there more to it?

If the woman does not picture Rome then what is she a picture of? Is it possible that the woman could be a reference to Jerusalem? Let’s consider three lines of evidence.

(1) Jerusalem, when unfaithful to God, in the past was described as a harlot.

“‘But you began to trust in your beauty, and you became a prostitute because of your fame. You lavished your acts of prostitution on everyone passing by, and your beauty became his. (Ezekiel 16:15)

In fact the entire 16^th chapter of Ezekiel is nearly identical to Revelation chapter 17. This situation repeated itself in the first century.

Then they led Jesus from Caʹia·phas to the governor’s residence. It was now early in the morning. But they themselves did not enter into the governor’s residence, so that they would not get defiled but could eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate came outside to them and said: “What accusation do you bring against this man?” 30 They answered him: “If this man were not a wrongdoer, we would not have handed him over to you.” 31 So Pilate said to them: “Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law.” The Jews said to him: “It is not lawful for us to kill anyone.” 32 This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to indicate what sort of death he was about to die. (John 18:28-32)

 “For this reason Pilate kept on seeking how to release him. But the Jews shouted, saying: “If you release this [man], you are not a friend of Caesar. Every man making himself a king speaks against Caesar.” 13 Therefore Pilate, after hearing these words, brought Jesus outside, and he sat down on a judgment seat in a place called The Stone Pavement, but, in Hebrew, Gabʹba·tha. 14 Now it was preparation of the passover; it was about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews: “See! YOUR king!” 15 However, they shouted: “Take [him] away! Take [him] away! Impale him!” Pilate said to them: “Shall I impale YOUR king?” The chief priests answered: “We have no king but Caesar.” 16 At that time, therefore, he handed him over to them to be impaled.. . . (John 19:12-16)

(2) Jerusalem Was Responsibile for Shedding Innocent Blood

“Woe to YOU, because YOU build the memorial tombs of the prophets, but YOUR forefathers killed them! 48 Certainly YOU are witnesses of the deeds of YOUR forefathers and yet YOU give consent to them, because these killed the prophets but YOU are building [their tombs]. 49 On this account the wisdom of God also said, ‘I will send forth to them prophets and apostles, and they will kill and persecute some of them, 50 so that the blood of all the prophets spilled from the founding of the world may be required from this generation, 51 from the blood of Abel down to the blood of Zech·a·riʹah, who was slain between the altar and the house.’ Yes, I tell YOU, it will be required from this generation. (Luke 11:47-51)

. . .Hear another illustration: There was a man, a householder, who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and erected a tower, and let it out to cultivators, and traveled abroad. 34 When the season of the fruits came around, he dispatched his slaves to the cultivators to get his fruits. 35 However, the cultivators took his slaves, and one they beat up, another they killed, another they stoned. 36 Again he dispatched other slaves, more than the first, but they did the same to these. 37 Lastly he dispatched his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 On seeing the son the cultivators said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance!’ 39 So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40 Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those cultivators?” 41 They said to him: “Because they are evil, he will bring an evil destruction upon them and will let out the vineyard to other cultivators, who will render him the fruits when they become due.” 42 Jesus said to them: “Did YOU never read in the Scriptures, ‘The stone that the builders rejected is the one that has become the chief cornerstone. From Jehovah this has come to be, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? 43 This is why I say to YOU, The kingdom of God will be taken from YOU and be given to a nation producing its fruits. 44 Also, the person falling upon this stone will be shattered. As for anyone upon whom it falls, it will pulverize him.” 45 Now when the chief priests and the Pharisees had heard his illustrations, they took note that he was speaking about them. . . (Matthew 21:33-45)

 “Serpents, offspring of vipers, how are YOU to flee from the judgment of Ge·henʹna? 34 For this reason, here I am sending forth to YOU prophets and wise men and public instructors. Some of them YOU will kill and impale, and some of them YOU will scourge in YOUR synagogues and persecute from city to city; 35 that there may come upon YOU all the righteous blood spilled on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zech·a·riʹah son of Bar·a·chiʹah, whom YOU murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. 36 Truly I say to YOU, All these things will come upon this generation. 37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the killer of the prophets and stoner of those sent forth to her,—how often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks together under her wings! But YOU people did not want it. 38 Look! YOUR house is abandoned to YOU.  (Matthew 23:33-38)

. . .At this they cried out at the top of the voice and put their hands over their ears and rushed upon him with one accord. 58 And after throwing him outside the city, they began casting stones at him. And the witnesses laid down their outer garments at the feet of a young man called Saul. 59 And they went on casting stones at Stephen as he made appeal and said: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then, bending his knees, he cried out with a strong voice: “Jehovah, do not charge this sin against them.” And after saying this he fell asleep [in death]. 8 Saul, for his part, was approving of the murder of him. On that day great persecution arose against the congregation that was in Jerusalem; all except the apostles were scattered throughout the regions of Ju·deʹa and Sa·marʹi·a. (Acts 7:57-8:1)

(3) Revelation identifies the place where Jesus was killed as being the great city.

. . .And their corpses will be on the broad way of the great city which is in a spiritual sense called Sodʹom and Egypt, where their Lord was also impaled. (Revelation 11:8)

Since just outside of Jerusalem is the place where Jesus was killed, it would not be unreasonable to conclude that for this and the other two reasons Jerusalem is Babylon the great city. (See also Revelation’s Early Date by Kenneth Gentry)

The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell; and Babylon the Great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. (Revelation 16:19)

And the woman whom you saw means the great city that has a kingdom over the kings of the earth.” (Revelation 17:18)

saying: ‘Too bad, too bad, the great city, clothed with fine linen, purple, and scarlet and richly adorned with gold ornaments, precious stones, and pearls, 17 because in one hour such great riches have been devastated!’ “And every ship captain and every seafaring person and sailors and all those who make a living by the sea stood at a distance 18 and cried out as they looked at the smoke from her burning and said: ‘What city is like the great city?’ (Revelation 18:16-18)

I believe the reason the woman is described as the great city that has a kingdom over the kings of the earth is because she alone was supposed to be the city of the great King, representing the one true God to the nations.

However, I say to you: Do not swear at all, neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 nor by earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. (Matthew 5:34, 35)

Indeed, what city could ever be like that great city? But in repeating the pattern of ancient unfaithful Jerusalem she went from becoming destroyed by Babylon to becoming Babylon herself attempting to destroy God’s people, the Israel of God, children of Jerusalem above.

Now Haʹgar means Siʹnai, a mountain in Arabia, and she corresponds with the Jerusalem today, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. (Galatians 4:25, 26)

For neither is circumcision anything nor is uncircumcision, but a new creation is. 16 As for all those who walk orderly by this rule of conduct, peace and mercy be upon them, yes, upon the Israel of God. (Galatians 6:15, 16)

Due to her adulterous involvement with Rome and her participation in killing her children the prophets, culminating in the murder of the Messiah and her ongoing persecution of his disciples, it is not difficult to see that John was given a picture of God’s view of the entire corrupt Jewish system of things and the coming judgment she would face. Hence there would be an urgent need for any of God’s people living in Jerusalem to escape before that judgment came. This would add strength to Jesus own warning:

“However, when you see Jerusalem surrounded by encamped armies, then know that the desolating of her has drawn near. 21 Then let those in Ju·deʹa begin fleeing to the mountains, let those in the midst of her leave, and let those in the countryside not enter into her, 22 because these are days for meting out justice in order that all the things written may be fulfilled. 23 Woe to the pregnant women and those nursing a baby in those days! For there will be great distress on the land and wrath against this people. 24 And they will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled on by the nations until the appointed times of the nations are fulfilled. (Luke 21:20-24)

Does this mean that the call to get out of Babylon has no modern-day significance? This will be the subject of a future article.

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[1] According to Josephus (see Antiquities of the Jews Book 14:10:2; 18:2:2; 18:6:10; 19:1:11)

[2] See Daniel 8:17,19; 11:35,40; 12:4,9

[3] Tertullian Against Marcion Book 3 chapter 13; An Answer to Jews chapter 9; The Chaplet chapter 13; Irenaeus Against Heresies Book 5 chapter 26 par 1

[4] His writings show that he flourished at the period specified by Jerome – that is, during the reigns of Severus and Antoninus Caracalla, or between the years a.d. 193 and 216