Who is "Babylon the Great" (Rev. 18:2) and why is she described as a "harlot" (Rev. 17:15)?

The meaning of the mystery of the Great Harlot, Babylon the Great is revealed in SYMBOLISM/SIGNS [Revelation 1:1] in Revelation 17: 7- 18 and Revelation 18:1- 24.

Revelation 17:9- 11 read: "Here is where the intelligence that has wisdom comes in. The seven heads mean seven mountains, where the woman sits on top. And there are seven kings, five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet arrived, but when he does arrive he must remain a SHORT WHILE. And the wild beast that was but is not, it is also an eighth [king], but springs from the seven, and it goes off into destruction. The existing world power at the time of writing of Revelation was Rome.

The five that have fallen are: 1. Egypt 2. Assyria 3. Babylon [Chaldeans] 4. Medes and Persians 5. Greeks [first Alexander the Great, then his four generals] The seventh world power is the Anglo-American power [UK and USA] Whilst the eighth that sprung from number seven is the United Nations [UN], {Formerly, League of Nations; Re 17:8}. Revelation 13:1, 11, 14, 15.

Babylon the Great, is an ENTITY that has figured PROMINENTLY with ALL these "kings". It is NOT commercial since Revelation 18: 15 describes those mourning its destruction as including the commercial elements. It is NOT political since Revelation 18:9 describes the political elements as committing fornication with Babylon the Great. Babylon the Great, then, represents a symbolism for ALL FALSE RELIGION. Please compare Ezekiel 23. God's Holy Writings, contain examples, where PROSTITUTION is used to DENOTE, IMPURITY IN WORSHIP AND/OR IDOLATRY. For example in the Book of Ezekiel, Oholah, and Oholibah are referred to as PROSTITUTE cities. Ezekiel 23.

Revelation 18:24 reads: Yes, in her was found the blood of prophets and of holy ones and of all all those who have been slaughtered on the earth." Professed Christianity [Christendom] surely is included in this entity. In both world wars, professed Christians were killing not only the 'enemy' but also those who shared their 'faith' on opposing sides, along with many civilians. Paganism, is also included. Similarly, Christendom is steeped in FALSE TEACHINGS, many, paganistic in origin. CAREFULLY RESEARCH teachings such as TRINITY [Deut. 6:4; John 14:28; John 5:19, 30; John 8:42; John 20:17, 31; 1Corinthians 11:3; 15:28 etc.] IMMORTALITY of the soul [Ezekiel 18:4] etc., HELL-FIRE [Re 21:8; Job36:6] etc.,

ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED [Matt. 24:13] etc., predestination [Deut. 30:19] etc.,

USE OF PAGAN, GRAVEN IMAGES e.g. ANKH and other CROSSES, ETC. in worship.

[1 Corinthians 10:14; 1 John 5:21; Exodus 20:4, 5; Acts 17:29; Isaiah 42:8; Psalm 65:2].

John 4: 23, 24.

Look at the 2 women described in the book of Revelation.

One is the True Church, also called the Bride and the New Jerusalem, the other is

The false Church, the Harlot and also called Babylon the Great.

This woman rides the beast (beasts as we see in Daniel represent governments) The beast she is actually riding is the last beast in Daniel 7, which in Daniel 2 we can tell who it is because we can trace world governments from the time of Nebuchadnezzar (head of gold). Proceeding on we come to Media/Persia then Greece and then finally Rome.

So we have that connection. The other connection we have to identify her is the 1260 days--the wearing out of the saints--the Good woman in Revelation's flight into the wilderness. The putting of God's word (The 2 witnesses Old and New Testaments) in sackcloth and ashes for 1260 days (also known as: 42 months or 3 1/2 years, or time times and half of times--all the same amount of time.)

So lets look at the clues

1) as a woman she represents a Church system.

2) She is closely associated with Rome and other governments.

3) Elsewhere we are told Babylon was a golden cup in the hand of the Lord--that is had the favor of God at one time.

4) fornicates with all the nations of the earth--that is it is deeply involved with worldly matters and governments.

5) directly involved with persecuting the true believers of God--Inquisition ring any bells?

6) Dwelling place of every unclean thing--Back to the inquisition and all the torture of Protestants, then there is the Homosexuality and pedophilia and fornication with nuns that goes on.

7) Became rich--hmmm that one is pretty obvious. A lot of what is in the Louvre, was taken right from the Vatican when Napoleon sack it in order to make them pay for their war debt--because every time he turned around they were rising up against him after they told him time and time again that they would not. They own property everywhere and charge the people for every little service they provide besides passing the collection plate several times.

I agree with Cupcake--it is the Catholic Church. All the Reformers taught this truth--which is why there was a Protestant Reformation--

Protestant has kind of lost its meaning over the years--but it means one who Protests against the Catholic Church.

Babylon is Christianity! The Catholic Church is the mother, and all the different Churches that came from it are her child whores!

The Catholic Church wrote the Bible and it is the beginning of, or mother of Christianity.

Christianity is the pagan cult in Rev. 17:5 BABYLON the Mother of Whores.

I' am the Mahdi, and the angel Gabriel told me that Jimmy Carter is the Anti-Christ!

Babylon the Great is the false religion of the world. She is called a harlot because she prostitutes herself with the political world.

She represents a system of false worship.

John 3:16

Exodus 20:8-11

SDA

well, my answer is that babylon is comprised of 3 different aspect.

first babylon is called a "city" in a few verses in the book of revelation.

babylon is also one of the names of the Church of the devil, which i say is not a church. otherwise known as the Great Whore of the earth.

in the book of mormon Babylon is a society of people.

Babylon was also a very great kingdom ruled by kings that ruled over the world.

someone answered and said it is confusion and all the churches. i disagree. there are sons of God and there are sons of perdition.

babylon is both a kingdom and a city, and the society of people that worship the devil.

Babylon was renowned for its many many false religions headquartered inside its walls. Babylon the Great would be so on a greater level. Verse 15 points this out, "15 And he says to me: “The waters that you saw, where the harlot is sitting, mean peoples and crowds and nations and tongues. " By this we see it is world wide false religions. Not only the 41,000 ones claiming to be Christian, but all other false religions as well.

Why a harlot? Like a harlot, none of these false religions can wait patiently to jump into bed with every politician within reach. They LEAP. Wild Beasts in the Bible symbolize human governments. These are the ones the harlot has been bedding for centuries. They supply its followers to the wild beast for their support and as "canon fodder" for its wars. Telling followers from their pulpits how wars the wild beast desires to fight is "God's will". Of course, they tell the same thing to those on the other side. Both parts of the harlot are lying. God's will is for support of God's heavenly Kingdom government where Jesus Christ rules as its King. Not any human government.

Two things very highly important are revealed in verses 17:16 and 17. "And the ten horns that you saw, and the wild beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her devastated and naked, and will eat up her fleshy parts and will completely burn her with fire. 17 For God put [it] into their hearts to carry out his thought, even to carry out [their] one thought by giving their kingdom to the wild beast, until the words of God will have been accomplished."

The same wild beast human governments the harlot leaps into intercourse with is also the same ones who completely destroy her until only a greasy spot is left. #17 shows it is in fact, Jehovah who puts it into their hearts to do this.

Yes, they are both parts of Satan's organization which must all be destroyed. But why should the armies of Jehovah need to do ALL the work? Call it poetic justice, karma, or plain justice; such self destruction is very apt for these days.

Babylon the Great is the world empire of false religion. All religions on earth who do not teach the truth about God, his son Jesus and his purposes.

She is a harlot because she is depicted as riding on top of the wild beast which represents the worldwide political system. Religion, especially Christendom are harlots because they curry favor with the kings of the earth instead of living by the Bible. They promote the United Nations organization as the real hope for peace instead of directing people to Gods Kingdom by Jesus Christ as Catholics say they pray for at Matthew 6:9, 10. Christendom is the most reprehensible part of Babylon the Great since they claim to represent the God of the Bible but disown him by their sleeping with the kings of the earth to gain money and control.

The scriptures describe the relationship between Jesus Christ

and His church ~ as a parallel to that between a bridegroom

and his wife.

A harlot is one who goes with anyone for the money, willing to

do or say anything for whoever comes along... not like a faithful

wife who is true... so it suggests the "harlot" is a false church.

Revelation describes her: "drunken with the blood of the saints

and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus." (Rev 17:6) which

may refer to the Inquisitions in Europe ...

and the woman is "the great city" (Rev 17:18)

"sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy,

having seven heads and ten horns" (Rev 17:3)

Rev 17: 9

"Here is the mind which has wisdom: the seven heads are seven

mountains on which the woman sits."

I know only one city famous for its seven hills/mountains. Rome.

Read this: http://www.gci.org/bible/rev/babylon. Babylon the Great is the world. She is described as a harlot because she accepts false teachings and rejects God.