Revelation 17-18

There is an astonishing parallel in language between the language of Jeremiah 51 that tells of the fall of Babylon versus the language of Revelation 17-18 that speaks of the fall of spiritual Babylon.

Jeremiah 51

Revelation 17-18

O you who dwell by many waters, Abundant in treasures, Your end has come, The measure of your end (Jeremiah 51:13).

And one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, "Come here, I shall show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters" (Revelation 17:1).

Babylon has been a golden cup in the hand of the LORD, Intoxicating all the earth. The nations have drunk of her wine; Therefore the nations are going mad. (Jeremiah 51:7).

...with whom the kings of the earth committed acts of immorality, and those who dwell on the earth were made drunk with the wine of her immorality (Revelation 17:2).

The mighty men of Babylon have ceased fighting, They stay in the strongholds; Their strength is exhausted, They are becoming like women; Their dwelling places are set on fire, The bars of her gates are broken (Jeremiah 51:30).

And the ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and will burn her up with fire (Revelation 17:16)

Flee from the midst of Babylon, And each of you save his life! Do not be destroyed in her punishment, For this is the LORD's time of vengeance; He is going to render recompense to her (Jeremiah 51:6).

Come forth from her midst, My people, And each of you save yourselves From the fierce anger of the LORD (Jeremiah 51:45).

And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, "Come out of her, my people, that you may not participate in her sins and that you may not receive of her plagues" (Revelation 18:4).

"Then heaven and earth and all that is in them will shout for joy over Babylon, For the destroyers will come to her from the north," Declares the LORD (Jeremiah 51:48).

Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her (Revelation 18:20).

"And it will come about as soon as you finish reading this scroll, you will tie a stone to it and throw it into the middle of the Euphrates, 64 and say, ‘Just so shall Babylon sink down and not rise again, because of the calamity that I am going to bring upon her; and they will become exhausted.'" Thus far are the words of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 51:63-64).

And a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "Thus will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence, and will not be found any longer." (Revelation 18:21).

The city of Babylon was destroyed following the prophecy of Jeremiah and it has not since risen to the status of a world power. What then shall we make of the prophecy of Revelation 17-18 that speaks of the fall of a city that is designated as Babylon and which is couched in the same terms as Jeremiah's prediction of that city's fall?

I believe that what we have in Revelation 17-18 is the fall of a city that has taken on the spiritual characteristics of ancient Babylon. It is a city that has set herself up in rebellion against God, much as the first Babylon was built as a sign of rebellion.

It is a city that prostituted herself with the kings of the earth (17:2).
The city is pictured as a woman (17:3). We have already seen a picture of a symbolic woman back in chapter 12. She was a representation of the nation of Israel.
This time, the woman is pictured as sitting on a scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns. These are explained in verse 10 where we read that the seven horns are seven kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while. This tells us that these kings are not to be found at sometime in the future, but were kings who were contemporary with John.
The woman is pictures as being drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus (17:6).

To whom does this blasphemous city refer? I believe it has application to all of the kingdoms of this world who reject Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The most immediate application would have been first century Jerusalem, the city that prostituted herself and joined in league with her hated Roman oppressors in order to put her Messiah to death.

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Jeremiah 51	Revelation 17-18
O you who dwell by many waters, Abundant in treasures, Your end has come, The measure of your end (Jeremiah 51:13).	And one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, "Come here, I shall show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters" (Revelation 17:1).
Babylon has been a golden cup in the hand of the LORD, Intoxicating all the earth. The nations have drunk of her wine; Therefore the nations are going mad. (Jeremiah 51:7).	...with whom the kings of the earth committed acts of immorality, and those who dwell on the earth were made drunk with the wine of her immorality (Revelation 17:2).
The mighty men of Babylon have ceased fighting, They stay in the strongholds; Their strength is exhausted, They are becoming like women; Their dwelling places are set on fire, The bars of her gates are broken (Jeremiah 51:30).	And the ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and will burn her up with fire (Revelation 17:16)
Flee from the midst of Babylon, And each of you save his life! Do not be destroyed in her punishment, For this is the LORD's time of vengeance; He is going to render recompense to her (Jeremiah 51:6). Come forth from her midst, My people, And each of you save yourselves From the fierce anger of the LORD (Jeremiah 51:45).	And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, "Come out of her, my people, that you may not participate in her sins and that you may not receive of her plagues" (Revelation 18:4).
"Then heaven and earth and all that is in them will shout for joy over Babylon, For the destroyers will come to her from the north," Declares the LORD (Jeremiah 51:48).	Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her (Revelation 18:20).
"And it will come about as soon as you finish reading this scroll, you will tie a stone to it and throw it into the middle of the Euphrates, 64 and say, ‘Just so shall Babylon sink down and not rise again, because of the calamity that I am going to bring upon her; and they will become exhausted.'" Thus far are the words of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 51:63-64).	And a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "Thus will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence, and will not be found any longer." (Revelation 18:21).