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TODAY’S BABYLON
Ch. 4
MOUNTAINS, HEADS AND KINGS
Now we must analyze a part of the Revelation passage which is a little
bit difficult. Please follow with me carefully through a few simple steps of
logic. This vision is not as hard to understand as it seems at first glance. All
that is required is a little wisdom which God is happy to grant to all who
ask.
We are told that this prostitute is riding on a beast. This beast has
seven heads and ten horns. In another writing we will address the subject of the
beast and the ten horns. But for now we will concentrate just on the seven heads
of the beast. The angel helps us here by explaining: “The seven heads are seven
mountains on which the woman sits and they are seven kings”(Rev 17:9,10 NASB).
Here is a simple formula. Each head represents a mountain and a king. We could
think of it like this:
1 head = 1 mountain = 1 king.
1 head = 1 mountain = 1
king.
1 head = 1 mountain = 1 king.
1 head = 1 mountain = 1 king.
1
head = 1 mountain = 1 king.
1 head = 1 mountain = 1 king.
1 head = 1
mountain = 1 king.
Then we read: “Five have fallen” (Rev 17:10). So we learn that of the seven
[1 head = 1 mountain = 1 king] entities five of them have already fallen. This
means that they have already come and gone from history. This would then leave
our chart looking something like the one below with the “fallen” ones crossed
out, leaving only two groups remaining:
1 head = 1 mountain = 1 king.
1 head = 1 mountain = 1
king.1 head = 1 mountain = 1 king.
1 head = 1 mountain = 1 king.
1
head = 1 mountain = 1 king.
1 head = 1 mountain = 1 king.
1 head = 1
mountain = 1 king.
Of the two entities remaining, we read: “one is, and the other has not yet
come; and when he comes, he must continue a short time” (Rev 17:10). No doubt,
after almost 2,000 years of history, the entity which “is,” or rather was at the
time Revelation was written, has by now also “fallen” or disappeared. So we can
also mark it out too. This then leaves us with the final one which had “not yet
come.”
1 head = 1 mountain = 1 king.1 head = 1 mountain = 1
king.
What does all this signify? In Bible prophecy, often a “head” on some kind of
beast means a leader or a king. We have already seen this in our “1 head = 1
king” formula. The mountains probably represent kingdoms. We find some support
for this interpretation in the book of Daniel. While the prophet is seeing a
vision, he saw “a stone cut out without hands” which smashed the feet of a large
image and “became a great mountain and filled the whole earth” (Dan 2:35). This
then would mean when the Lord Jesus returns, He will smash the antichrist empire
and that His Kingdom will become great (a great mountain) and fill the whole
earth. Therefore, we can conclude that the mountains represent
kingdoms.
Earlier in chapter 17 we are told the the great prostitute is
sitting on the seven mountains (vs 9). By now I trust that you readers have
begun to realize what is meant by the word “Babylon.” No doubt you have all
begun to sense the immensity of her sin and her degraded, lustful behavior. She
is the epitome of wealth, luxury, worldly excess of every sort and sin.
So
what we see here is that the spirit of Babylon, with all that this represents
will come into a full expression seven times throughout world history, in seven
kingdoms (seven mountains) under the reign of seven kings. Five of those
expressions had already “fallen” or come and gone by the time John saw this
vision. One of those expressions existed at that time and a final one was
coming.
This would mean that we could look back in world history and find
five instances of an empire which became successful, wealthy and then totally
decadent. I do not claim to be a student of history. But I can imagine that
ancient Babylon was a place which might fit our description. Ancient Egypt under
some of the Pharaohs might also have risen to the heights of excess which we
have described. Possibly the Medo-Persian empire or the kingdom of Alexander the
Great, or even ancient Assyria could fit our pattern. Although this writer is
not able to identify each of the five with accuracy, exactly who they were is
not critical to our understanding. Certainly there were five and they have
already fallen.
The one manifestation of Babylon which “is” or rather was in
existence in the days of John the apostle is easier to identify. The Roman
Empire which was then prominent fits our description exactly. It became famous
for its excesses. Orgies, feasts, entertainments including violent, bloody
spectacles involving animals, people and gladiators, sexual perversion, luxury
and all the ingredients of Babylon which we have discussed were found in the
Roman empire in full bloom. This kingdom would then represent the sixth [1 head
= 1 mountain = 1 king] entity which by now has also been reduced to a mere
shadow of its former power, fame and sin.
What we are looking for today is
the final, full manifestation of Babylon. We can expect to see in our generation
a “city” which is becoming all that the Roman Empire was and more. We can look
for something so self-indulgent, so focused on surrounding herself with every
kind of luxury and pleasure, a city/nation which is becoming so immoral and
vile, that it will perhaps put the others six manifestations of this prostitute
to shame. It is certain that at the end of this age, there will appear a last
great “Babylon” which, in terms of luxury, excess and sin, will rise up to a
kind of huge pus filled head, until she is judged by God and
destroyed.
