The emphasis is on man, and not on God. It is on man's work, but at the same time their desire was, by means of their own works, to build a city and a tower whose top would somehow reach up to heaven itself. They wanted heaven (and all of the gods they thought were there) and they wanted to maintain a name for themselves as well. Why did they profess such a great desire to reach up into heaven with their city and tower? It was the result of sinful pride. Their desire was to establish a name for themselves. The word "city," in which they desired to build, (whose top would reach into heaven), is a word in the Hebrew language signifying "city, court, or town." It is rooted from the word 2*"uwr" (oor) and carries the idea of opening the eyes; to awake, to lift up oneself, or to raise up. Their ambition was to build a city and a tower. The word "tower" is rooted from the Hebrew word "gaw-dal'" and carries the idea of advancing oneself; to boast, to exceed, to wax great, to magnify, to proudly promote. This city and this 3*tower was a representation of their own pride, having nothing at all in association to the true God. It was a false religion, acquired through the works of their own hands. Satan was attempting to mimic God's one true "city" and "tower" through these early Babylonians. Scripture gives us a vast amount of references showing that the kingdom of God is symbolized as a "city" and a "tower." For example, God is portrayed as a "strong tower" in Psalm 61:3 and again in Proverbs 18:10. Song of Solomon describes God's kingdom as the "tower of David," 4:4. Christ is also said to be the "tower of the flock" in Micah 4:8. These ancient Babylonians craved the idea of building their own "city" and "tower," which spiritually may prove to represent their own religion; their own pagan "works" gospel apart from the true Gospel of Christ.

Scripture tells us that the LORD came down to see this city and this tower that the sons of men were building. In Genesis 11:6 God reveals the arrogant attitude of these people. From the beginning of this building project their attitude was one in which nothing would stand in their way of finishing this venture. Nothing could be restrained or withheld from their own fleshly desires, which they purposed to accomplish, Genesis 11:6 declares. Seeing this, God states in verse seven: "Let us [being the Godhead: Father, Son, & Holy Ghost] go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech." We learn from Genesis 11:8 that God scattered them abroad throughout the face of the earth, and they ceased from building the city. They were of one language, and God confused their language and scattered them. Verse nine declares:

The definition of the word Babylon can be said to mean "confusion." God confused their language and scattered them upon the face of the whole earth. Man's original purpose to the city of Babylon was one of which its people could have their gods, even heaven itself, and yet maintain their own destiny. Instead, God sends them confusion. This is the first mention of Babylon in scripture, and we can see the religious implications associated with this city of Babylon. As we study Babylon throughout scripture we can expect to encounter this trait of confusion and apostasy remaining with her right up to the last mention of Babylon in the eighteenth chapter of the Book of Revelation. She is thrown down, not to be remembered any more. Throughout scripture God condemns Babylon for her pride, and because of this she is associated with rebellion toward God. Many passages in the Old Testament pertaining to Babylon find their ultimate and final spiritual fulfillment within the Babylon of the "time of the end," (Daniel 12:4). Yet, at the same time the literalism of historic Babylonian biblical history was fulfilled during those ancient days. Babylon of old was destroyed. She was destroyed and became a desolation and a dry land, as scripture tells us. It eventually was abandoned and became uninhabited, remaining much the same to this very day. This, however, is falling far too short of being God's final outcome and teaching of Babylon. God has much more in view, in regard to the lesson we can learn from Babylon, than a mere ancient city being destroyed because of her pride toward God. All the nations of the earth fall under this category. All nations, as a whole, are proud toward God. Scripture names only one nation that is truly humble and God-fearing, and that nation is God's spiritual "nation," consisting of all true believers in Christ, both Jew and Gentile, 1 Peter 2:9. Concerning the spiritual lessons revealed within this end-time Babylon, God has much for us today, and especially today, since history has indeed caught up with the Babylon of the Book of Revelation.

Among the majority of books ever written concerning the end-time Babylon, the authors most often find its fulfillment in either the Roman Catholic Church or some nation or city of the earth. Some, who are very faithful to the Word, simply assign it to the world in general. This is indeed correct, since Babylon encompasses the things of the unsaved world. Babylon of old did represent the world in general. Notwithstanding, God does not assign the Babylon of the end-times (the Babylon of Revelation chapters seventeen and eighteen) to solely represent the world and nothing more. These chapters are not speaking of a literal fall and judgment of the world. The world in general spiritually fell back in the garden of Eden. It's literal destruction is sure to come at the last day. The fall of Babylon, in which God focuses on in the accounts given in chapters seventeen and eighteen of the Book of Revelation, is not to be confused with the literal destruction of the world. God is describing something more perplexing and puzzling to us than the earth's destruction at the last day. These chapters, when read superficially, would at first glance seem to be describing the literal destruction of a city named Babylon. As Babylon of old pictured the world in general, these chapters would surely be describing the world's destruction. This, however, appears not the case. There is a spiritual and symbolic teaching concerning Babylon which runs throughout scripture like a thread, culminating in chapter eighteen of the Book of Revelation. There is something incomprehensible, something mysterious, something of amazement and astonishment to all who come to a more clear understanding of these passages.

When scripture speaks of the last days, it can be speaking of the entire Church-Age, since we read many times in the epistles that the early Church had entered into the last days. However, chapters seventeen and eighteen of Revelation are not speaking of the last days, but are specifically focusing on the "time of the end," which is a precise number of days labeled as "great tribulation" in Matthew 24:21 and elsewhere. This time frame is followed immediately by the second coming of Christ. These chapters are speaking of a certain period of time at the very end of this age, a time when the "transgressors" of God have reached their fullness (Daniel 8:32). A time period in which God will spiritually judge the outward and corporate church (Daniel 8:14). Therefore, these chapters in Revelation, with regard to Babylon, are speaking of the very worse conditions possible; degradation to the highest extent. She - Babylon, the great harlot - is being judged. This is not the literal judgment of the world, in which the world will be judged at the last day. No, Babylon is pictured in these two chapters as being judged just prior to or during the great tribulation period immediately proceeding the second coming of Christ.

When we examine and study the Babylon of the Old Testament, we find that God prophesies much in reference to her, which in the spiritual sense will be fulfilled only and ultimately within the confines of the end-time Babylon. This Old Testament Babylon spiritually points to its ultimate or final fulfillment within the end-time entity here on earth known by God as Babylon. Its descriptions are symbolic in nature and reflect the many allegories, types and figures used in Old Testament days, which pointed to its final and spiritual manifestation upon the earth. When we examine chapters seventeen and eighteen of Revelation we find, first of all, that this Babylon has embraced a full and complete harmony and fellowship with the religious and counterfeit attributes of Satan. Babylon is pictured as "sitting" upon the beast that has ascended out of the bottomless pit (Revelation 17:3). To "sit" as is used here has to do with "residing" or "dwelling with". In other words, this time frame has to do with the great tribulation period in which Satan (the beast) is loosed upon the earth to spiritually deceive all whose names are not written in the spiritual book of life from the foundation of the world (Revelation 17:8). It is imperative to understand the fact that Satan was indeed spiritually bound at the Cross. Hebrews 2:14 tells us: "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil." The resurrection of the Messiah - the Christ - was a death blow to Satan, a fatal wound that ensured his destruction. Yes, in 1 Peter 5:8 scripture declares: "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." We must understand that Satan's influence in the church age is indeed limited, allowing Christ's Gospel to flourish. Satan and his fallen angelic beings are still very much an active force in this world. As in the Old Testamento days when Satan's kingdom was successful in hindering true salvation, once more this will be the case during the great tribulation. Revelation 17:8 declares: "The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is." This reference can only be alluding to Satan as he was destroyed at the Cross and yet will be released for a "little season" at the end of time (Revelation 20:3), i.e. at the completion of the church age.

This end-time kingdom of Satan "carries" Babylon, as Revelation 17:7 states. She dwells or resides with the beast. Concerning Babylon, there are three prominent descriptions mentioned in characterizing her. They are:

1. Babylon is a symbolic "woman," as referred to six times in Revelation chapters seventeen and eighteen.

2. Babylon is a symbolic harlot or whore mentioned four times in these two chapters. Babylon is referenced as "her" twenty-nine times in these two chapters, and as "she" five times.

3. Finally, Babylon is referenced as "That Great City" five times in these two chapters.

This report will give clear indications why the woman, this spiritual mother of harlots, this great city Babylon is in fact pictured in the Book of Revelation as something other than the world at its destruction at the second coming of Christ. God is displaying the spiritual condition of the confessing worldwide church of Christ during the great tribulation period leading up to Judgment Day itself. Babylon the Great does not depict the Roman Catholic Church, nor is it describing any particular denomination for that matter. It is not picturing other false religions, simply because all false religions have always been pagan religions of the world, and are not affiliated in any way with the "mystery" of which the New Testament Greek embraces with regard to "Mystery Babylon," (see "Babylon of Scripture and Mystery Babylon" of this study). These chapters in the Book of Revelation appear to be picturing a great harlot clothed with the spiritual apparel and decor that is assigned only to the true and faithful Church of Christ. These two chapters show how God's own earthly representation - His worldwide church itself - has FALLEN into spiritual fornication. So much so that many believers are finally forced to flee out from among her, while multitudes remain spiritually blind and stay within this "Christian appearing" imitation church. This is the time of great deception. So great in fact, that if it were possible, God's very elect would be deceived by this, Matthew 24:24 tells us. Babylon the Great, the corporate church of Jesus Christ, has left most of the true believes behind. The great "falling away" within the corporate church of Christ has reached its crest. The church has opened its doors and has received with open arms the world, along with all of its abominations and sins against God. This is the description of much of God's confessing church today. They have merged into the world, they have accepted the world (Babylon) into their very own congregations, thus God labels this false church - "Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth." These are they who are still in the world and yet claim to belong to Christ. As with the first city of Babylon, they claimed to know God but wanted their own way. They only appear to conform and belong to the true Church, but they are false Christians. God has only one city, the true and spiritual City of Jerusalem, while the false or apostate city is Satan's imitation of the true city. This false city is pictured as the kingdom of Satan within the corporate church. Therefore, these chapters of Revelation are showing us the climax of apostasy running rampant and prevailing in the church in these final days as congregations worldwide are desecrated by the abominations of Satan through unsaved religious man.

We need only examine the characteristics of this great city, keeping in mind that Satan is the great imitator of God, and we will discover that within this city are found much of the spiritual attributes assigned to the true Church, the Great and Holy City. It is important to keep in mind that this city of merchants in Revelation chapter eighteen is not a literal city of merchants who buy and sell material merchandise. When one reads these chapters without comparing with scripture the many descriptions given of this city, the only logical conclusion is to assume that these chapters, and especially chapter eighteen, are speaking of the material riches of this world. This is not so. We must compare this merchandise with its usage in the rest of scripture, remembering that everyone who proclaims the true gospel of salvation through Christ Jesus is a spiritual MERCHANT in scripture. Our merchandise is the "good news" (gospel of salvation), and this spiritual merchandise is typified by many descriptions of the literal furnishings and decor found in the Old Testament Tabernacle in the Wilderness and again in Solomon's Temple, of which both pictured the one true Temple of God, the Church of Jesus Christ worldwide.

The chapters in this study are disclosed as highly conclusive biblical data. It is not the intention of this study to introduce interesting reading while not arriving at any concrete conclusions. Any other discoveries that will lend credibility to this report but are found to be lacking in biblical support will not be included.

This report concludes that Revelation chapters seventeen and eighteen are not presenting Babylon as two distinct entities, nor are they describing the physical destruction of the world, a city or empire at the last day. Rather, this study asserts that the Babylon of these two chapters is in fact the 4*corporate church of Jesus Christ as seen immediately prior to and during the "great tribulation," symbolized by "one hour" (Rev. 17:12; 18:10,17,19). This harlot is indeed the corporate church of Jesus Christ as she slips irreversibly into the clutches of the kingdom of Satan. She is the outer court of God's Temple (Rev. 11:2). The account of her destruction (as seen from Revelation chapter eighteen) is in fact God's judgment upon the corporate church worldwide. The destruction of this harlot comes in the form of spiritual liquidation and not as much in the form of physical or material destruction, as many assume. The woman's spiritual decay comes as God revokes His true Gospel from her midst.

1* "Baw-lal" #1101 Strong's Hebrew. To overflow (spec. with oil); by impl. to mix; also (denom. from 1098) to fodder:-anoint, confound, fade, mingle, mix (self), give provender, temper.

2* "oor" Strong's Hebrew #5782 - rooted from # 5892 "city" - through the idea of opening the eyes; to wake (lit. or fig.): awake, lift up (self), master, raise (up), stir up (self).

3* "gaw-dal'" Strong's Hebrew #1431 rooted from "tower." A prim. root; prop. to twist, i.e. to be (caus.make) large (in various senses), as in body, mind, estate, or honor, also in pride: - advance, boast, bring up, exceed, excellent, be (come, do, give, make, wax), great, lift up, magnify, promote, proudly, tower.

4* CORPORATE: Throughout this study the word "corporate" will be used in referring to the worldwide church of Jesus Christ. The corporate church consists of both Christians and those who are masquerading as Christians (non-believers). True believers are a part of the corporate church, which is simply the outer shell of the real Church; unbelievers cannot be a part of the one true Church of Jesus Christ. This paper will spell church with a small "c" when referring to the corporate church; and capital "C" when alluding to the true Church.