The Whore of Babylon or Babylon the Great is a symbolic female figure and also place of evil mentioned in the Book of Revelation in the Bible. The "great whore " of the Book of Revelation is featured in chapter 17 :. The Whore is associated with the Antichrist and the Beast of Revelation by connection with an equally evil kingdom. There is much speculation within Christian eschatology on what the Whore and beast symbolize as well as the possible implications for contemporary interpretations.
Some scholars interpret 'Babylon' as being based on historical places and events. Many Biblical scholars [7] [8] believe that "Babylon" is a metaphor for the pagan Roman Empire at the time it persecuted Christians , before the Edict of Milan in Some exegetes interpret the passage as a scathing critique of a servant people of Rome who do the Empire's bidding, interpreting that the author of Revelation was speaking of the Herodians βa party of Jews friendly to Rome and open to its influence, like the Hellenizers of centuries pastβand later, corrupt Hasmoneans , where the ruler of Jerusalem or Roman Judea exercised his power at the pleasure of the Roman emperor , and was dependent on Roman influence, like Herod the Great in the Gospel of Luke.
According to the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia , "The characteristics ascribed to this Babylon apply to Rome rather than to any other city of that age: a as ruling over the kings of the earth Revelation ; b as sitting on seven mountains Revelation ; c as the center of the world's merchandise Revelation , 11β13 ; d as the corrupter of the nations Revelation ; ; ; e as the persecutor of the saints Revelation Stuart Russell, Milton S.
Terry [27] point out that although Rome was the prevailing pagan power in the 1st century, when the Book of Revelation was written, the symbolism of the whore of Babylon refers not to an invading infidel or foreign power. It refers to an apostate false queen , a former " bride " who has been unfaithful and who, even though she has been divorced and cast out because of unfaithfulness, continues to falsely claim to be the "queen" of the spiritual realm. Proponents of this view suggest that the "seven mountains" in Rev are the seven hills on which Jerusalem stands and the "fall of Babylon" in Rev 18 is the fall and destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.
(mh\u003dq8y4ILL9GptB9gKP)16.jpg "Adult Guide in Rome models")
Several Old Testament prophets referred to Jerusalem as being a spiritual harlot and a mother of such harlotry Isaiah ; Jeremiah ; β11; Ezekiel β43; 23, as well as Epistle to the Galatians Some of these Old Testament prophecies, as well as the warnings in the New Testament concerning Jerusalem, are in fact very close to the text concerning Babylon in Revelation. This suggests that John of Patmos may well have actually been citing those prophecies in his description of Babylon. For example, in Matthew 23 β37 and Luke 11 β51, Jesus himself assigned all of the bloodguilt for the killing of the prophets and of the saints of all time to the Pharisees of Jerusalem.
