Carri Lynne Pratt
The Fall of Babylon
Today's Reading: Chapter 18:1-24
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| Fall of Bablyon - Painting by John Martin 1826 |
"Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence, and will be found no more." Revelation 18:21
Today's reading is interesting for several different reasons. The first being the history of Babylon itself. At one time Babylon was the largest city in the world covering four square miles in approximately 600-500 BC with a population of nearly 200,000! (britannica.com) Today it stands in ruins near Baghdad in Southern Iraq (see picture below).
Another item of interest is the comparison of the stone found in Revelation which is thrown into the sea and the stone in Daniel's interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream regarding the statue of gold, silver, bronze, iron and clay:
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| Babylon ruins from Saddam Hussein's summer palace - wikipedia.com |
Another item of interest is the comparison of the stone found in Revelation which is thrown into the sea and the stone in Daniel's interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream regarding the statue of gold, silver, bronze, iron and clay:
"a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold."
Daniel 2:45
Finally, there is a debate over whether or not Babylon would need to be rebuilt in order to fulfill this prophecy of it being destroyed, similar to the temple being rebuilt to fulfill the prophecy of the anti-Christ standing in the temple for the abomination of desolation. Some consider it to be a philosophy based on capitalism.
One thing is obvious, although the entire world mourns her destruction, the angelic beings find it to be a fair judgment by God.
Reflection: What do you think, is the Babylon spoken of in Chapter 18 an actual city which will be rebuilt or a philosophy/way of life?
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