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John
tells us in Revelation 17:1-2, “Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, ‘Come,
I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication,
and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.’” Revelation 17:5 goes on to say,
“And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF
THE EARTH.” For centuries it has been a mystery as to who and where this “harlot and mystery Babylon”
is.
 John
tells us in Revelation 17:3 the description: “Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a desert. There I saw a woman
sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.” The beast mentioned
in this verse is the same beast as in Revelation chapter 13:1, “And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten
horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.” The first beast in Revelation
chapter 13 is understood to refer to the Antichrist, the man of lawlessness (2 Thess. 2:3-4. ‘Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as
God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God,” and (Daniel
9:27 “And
he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation
to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined
shall be poured upon the desolate). So, the whore of Babylon, whoever it is, is closely affiliated with the end-times Antichrist.
 The harlot
of Babylon is referred to as a mystery but there are clues to who this whore may be. Revelation 17:9 -explains,
“This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits.” Many commentators
link this passage with the Roman Catholic Church because in ancient times, the city of Rome was known as “the city on
seven hills” because there are seven prominent hills that surround the city. However, Jerusalem was also known as “the
city on seven hills” at the time John wrote Revelation. The seven mountains upon which Jerusalem was built are Mount Zion,
Mount Ophel, Mount Moriah, Mount Bezetha, Mount Acra, Mount Gareb, and Mount Goath. Verse ten goes on to explain that the seven hills
represent seven kings or kingdoms, five of which have fallen, one that is and one that is to come. Therefore, the "whore
of Babylon" cannot refer exclusively to Rome.
 Revelation 17:5 tells us, “Then the angel said to me, ‘The
waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.’” The whore of Babylon
will have great worldwide influence over people and nations. Verses 10-14 describe a series of eight and then ten kings who
affiliate with the beast. The whore of Babylon will at one time have control over these kings; Revelation 17:18 “And the woman which thou sawest
is that “great city”, which reigneth over the kings of the earth but at some point the kings will turn on her and destroy her, (Revelation 17:16 ‘And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast,
these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.’
Luke 21: 24 says,
“And when ye shall see
Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them
which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are
in the countries enter thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which
are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there
shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be
led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be
fulfilled.”
Who is the “great city”? The Bible speaks for itself; Revelation 11;8- And their dead
bodies (the two witnesses who will be killed by the beast from the bottomless pit) shall
lie in the street of the ‘great city’, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our
Lord was crucified.” Where was our Lord Jesus crucified? Jerusalem.
“For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality,
and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by
the wealth of her sensuality. I heard another voice from heaven, saying, "Come out of her, my people,
so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues; for her sins have piled up as high as heaven,
and God has remembered her iniquities.…” Revelation 18:4-5
Who are “MY PEOPLE?”
“And afterward Moses and Aaron came and
said to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Let “My people” go that they
may celebrate a feast to Me in the wilderness.'" But Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice
to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and besides, I will not let Israel go, Exodus 5:1-2.
Come out of her, “my people”, flee for your lives from the LORD's anger!
Jeremiah 51:45. My People is Israel.
John goes on to write, “…And
in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth,” Revelation
18:24. The blood of prophets and saints and all
that were slain upon the earth? Again
scripture speaks for itself; “Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes:
and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from
city to city: THAT UPON YOU MAY COME ALL THE RIGHTEOUS
BLOOD SHED UPON THE EARTH, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias,
whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee,
how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would
not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say,
Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Matthew 23:34-39.
 John goes on to describe
the destruction of the whore (Revelation 17:17-19) “For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company
in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this “great
city”! And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and
wailing, saying, Alas, alas that “great city”, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the
sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for
God hath avenged you on her.”
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