Ancient Babylon and the Babylon of the Book of Revelation Compared.
THE use of names in Bible prophecies, in a descriptive sense, is evidently for the purpose of obtaining instruction from the original use of the name, as well as from the city, or the place and nation to which it formerly belonged. Thus Babylon is introduced into the prophecy given to John on the isle of Patmos as a descriptive name only; and on reading what relates to it in this prophecy we are convinced that the Lord does not intend we shall place this last of all prophecies back on to the ancient city or nation of Babylon. But the characteristics of ancient Babylon were so peculiar and so new to the world, and by which that city was enabled to become the leading one of its time, that all reference made to it by the Lord, especially after its downfall and destruction, convinces us that it is to be considered like a standard book from which instruction is to be obtained on all the points covered by its title and chapters of contents. The study of the history of ancient Babylon helps greatly to the right understanding of the prophecy relating to modern Babylon; and for the benefit of Bible students we here give a few of the leading characteristics of the two cities, placed side by side. By comparing the two together, we arrive more readily and correctly at the truth the Saviour sought to give his church by means of this most wonderful of all the prophecies. Ancient Babylon was built on both sides of the river Euphrates, and represented as dwelling "upon many waters." Jer. 51:13. Modern Babylon is said to "sit" upon "many waters," which are declared to be peoples, multitudes, nations, tongues. Rev. 17:15. Ancient Babylon was "abundant in treasures," and was called the "golden city." Jer. 51:13; Isa. 14:4. Modern Babylon was "decked with gold and precious stones." Rev. 18:16. "Abundance of her delicacies." Rev. 18:3. Ancient Babylon was called "the lady of kingdoms," Isa. 47:3; "the glory of kingdoms," Isa. 13:19. "And thou saidst, I shall be a lady forever." Isa. 47:7. Modern Babylon is called "the mother of harlots," and says, "I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow." Rev. 18:7. Ancient Babylon was punished for the multitude of her sorceries. Isa. 47:9. Of modern Babylon it is said, "By thy sorceries were all nations deceived." Rev. 18:24. Ancient Babylon was the first to make idolatry the national religion. Image worship began at Babylon in its earliest history. The three worthies, Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego, were cast into the fiery furnace for refusing to bow down to the idol Nebuchadnezzar had caused to be erected on the plains of Dura. By means of idol worship much gold was obtained at Babylon. Giving money to the god Bel, as an offering, was supposed to gain mercies for the suppliant worshipers. Image worship began at Rome, under the sanction of the bishops, about the fourth century, and was finally incorporated into the religion of the papal Roman empire, and has ever since been regarded as a part of the worship of the Roman Catholic church. And for this judgments were pronounced against it. See Rev. 9:20. By the worship of images and patron saints Rome swallowed up the wealth of the nations; and often under the pretense of getting souls out of purgatory the poor were robbed of all they had; another means of obtaining money was by the sale of indulgences. Ancient Babylon "hath been a golden cup, that made all the earth drunken." (Drunkenness, when used as a metaphor, signifies unbelief. See Isa. 29:9.) Papal Rome, as the modern Babylon, "made all nations drink of the wine of her fornication." (Idolatry and false worship are symbolized by the words adultery and fornication). Ancient Babylon made the world "as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof." Modern Babylon is found in the wilderness—that is, her surroundings became a wilderness—i. e., separated from God. "And the woman fled into the wilderness." Rev. 12:6; 17:3. The Jews were held in captivity to ancient Babylon seventy years, at the end of which Babylon was punished. The handwriting on the wall caused Belshazzar to tremble; and his wise men and magicians could not deliver him. See Isa. 47:12, 13. God's people were trodden under foot and given into the hands of papal Rome for twelve hundred and sixty years, at the end of which time the French revolution broke out, which proved to be the beginning of religious toleration throughout Europe, and also the overthrow of the papacy. Babylon was full of blasphemy, defying even the God of Heaven, and using the holy vessels of the temple in a feast to its gods. See Dan. 5:23. When the pope was the mouth-piece of the European world "he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in Heaven." Babylon was called a "destroying mountain." The city was built in the midst of a fertile plain, and the immense height of its walls and palaces and temples (some of which were six hundred feet high), and its hanging gardens, gave it the appearance in the distance, to the eye of the beholder, of a mountain. But it was to become a burnt mountain. Babylon rebelled against the Medes and Persians B. C. 518. Darius brought his whole force against it, destroyed the one hundred gates, and the walls of the city. It was depopulated by Seleucus Nicator B. C. 294. Afterwards it was burned, and is now cast "up as heaps," or like a burnt mountain. Not a stone or brick can be used for building purposes. Utterly desolate, without inhabitant. Rome papal is to be burned with fire; to be first made desolate, and naked, consumed away, and finally destroyed. Fire, in the prophecy of Revelation, often signifies war; and "fire and smoke and brimstone," terrible destructive battles. "So many losses have totally exhausted the old carcass; we are making it consume by a slow fire." (French ambassador to Napoleon.) Babylon's princes were to be made drunk, and in a drunken feast the king and his lords were slain, and the kingdom overthrown. Babylon, the "woman," is represented as drunk with the blood of saints. At this time she is to receive her judgment. See Rev. 17:1. The prophet Jeremiah was to take a stone and bind it to the book (see Jer. 51:63), and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates." Modern Babylon is to be thrown down with violence, like a millstone being cast into the depth of the sea; "her place found no more at all." In closing our chapter on the two Babylons we give a summary of the characteristics of modern Babylon, which we condense from the notes of a recent lecture delivered in Boston by an eminent Baptist clergyman. Three hundred and fifty years ago the work of Martin Luther was in its infancy. The people of God were then leaving the Roman Catholic church by hundreds. Soon hundreds became thousands, and finally, before Luther's death, whole nations began to favor the work of God. Now, what has been the result? In almost every nation where, three hundred years ago, the abominations of popery prevailed, we now see moral, healthy, liberty-loving people. Popery, when in its glory, produced beggars, law-breakers and questionable characters. One of Italy's historians gave a graphic picture of the Roman court, when he wrote that the Italians were made corrupt by the court of Rome, and "if there be a hell, Rome is built above it." "The nearer we get to Rome the more corrupt we are." Yet the popes claimed to be the successors of Peter, and holding the only true faith. If Peter did plant that church eighteen hundred years ago, its fruits of to-day prove it to be one that has long since ceased to bear the fruits of the Spirit of Christ. Protestantism gives man the Bible, and his liberty to work out his salvation; Romanism takes these blessings all away. Protestantism gives vigor to healthy action; Romanism takes away both vigor and action, and binds its adherents in chains of ignorant superstition. Three facts concerning the church of Rome:— 1. Her distinguishing dogmas are an insult to the common sense of the whole Christian world. While it is admitted that Rome holds to some Bible truth, it is a fact that her distinguishing dogmas are absurd and preposterous. The infallibility of the pope, teaching that he is incapable of making mistakes or falling into errors; the immaculate conception of the virgin Mary; and the doctrine of transubstantiation, which teaches that in the communion the bread and wine are turned into the veritable body and blood of Christ, not in figure, but in fact—are all shocking to common sense. The wicked lies and enormous blunders of many of the popes disprove the first; the testimony of Jesus himself denies the second, and the testimony of our senses repudiates the third. And yet a church with tenets like these asks predominance in the world, and claims to control its destinies! 2. What is the history of Rome? The open record of the ages will tell us. Who instituted the Inquisition and employed St. Dominic to set its infernal engines in motion? The church of Rome! Who protects and fosters the order of Jesuits? The church of Rome! Who gave Torquemada power to burn his victim in Spain? The church of Rome! What inspired the bloody Bishop Bonner to do his infernal work in England? The church of Rome! What church is responsible for the atrocities of St. Bartholomew's day in France? The church of Rome! Who persecuted the Waldenses, Albigenses, and Huguenots of the Alps? The church of Rome! Who kindled the fires of Smithfield? The church of Rome! History shows us what Rome has been in all time. 3. Her present attitude is dangerous to the peace and hostile to the liberties of the world. Some say Rome has changed; that she is different from what she was in the days of Hildebrand and Borgia. But Rome never changes. She only adapts herself to circumstances, until she has power to do her will. Her present position is one of hostility to an open Bible—popes have condemned the Bible, and condemned Bible societies; priests have burned the Bible, and popish power has secured its banishment from the public schools in many places in the United States; one of hostility to liberty of conscience—listen to the voices of her bishops, who have said that when Catholicity comes to rule in America, religious liberty will be at an end. Christians of all sects are called upon to unite as one man to resist the aggressions of a church whose head is in Rome, and whose spirit is that of devils.—Independent Catholic.