The WHore of Babylon Was 1st Cnetury Jerusalem

by maccauk11 11 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  maccauk11

  THE WOMAN=

  Called Sodom and Egypt

  Located where Messiah was crucified

  Becomes a river of blood (70AD)

  SIts on many waters

  fornicated with the Pagan world

  Sits on 7 mountains

  The dwelling place of devils

  A prison for evil spirits

  Is a cage full of dirty birds

  Has a cup full of iniquities

  Is doubly judged

  COnsider sherself a queen

  Still considers herself married

  Was rich and morned when judged

  She merchandised the souls of men

  Is pronounced desolate

  the sound of her joy is taken away

  Her creativity is taken away

  Her right to judge is taken away

  Her light bearing ability snuffed out

  Her bridgroom divorced her

  Her marriage annuled

  SHe is calle dthe great city

  Without a shadow of doubt Jerusalem in the 1st century was The WHore
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  dazed but not confused

  
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  The Searcher

  What about this for a suggestion:

  Two key Scriptures in Revelation may help to give a clearer view as to whom the name "Babylon the Great" applies. At Revelation 17:5,6 it says, "Babylon the Great, the mother of the harlots and of the disgusting things of the earth." And I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the holy ones and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus", and Revelation 18:24 says, "Yes, in her was found the blood of prophets and of holy ones and of all those who have been slaughtered on the earth."

  Firstly, Revelation 17:5 says that Babylon is the "mother" of the harlots - namely, the one who is supremely responsible for the existence of other "harlots". Therefore, since there are other harlots outwith the designation of Babylon the Great, then clearly, the mysterious Babylon the Great does not include these other harlots.

  It cannot represent the "world empire of false religion" since other harlots exist outwith the title of B t G.

  She stands alone, distinct! What makes her distinctive?

  Both of the verses quoted above indict her; she has been responsible for the persecution and killing of a great number of particular individuals - and they were all faithful servants of the God of the Bible. It speaks of "prophets" and "the witnesses of Christ", namely, pre-Christian and Christian servants.

  A study of the Hebrew and Greek Scripture identifies who has been overwhelmingly responsible for the evil committed on God's servants - not the governments, not Baal worshipers or any other heathen people - it was the religious leaders of these people, both Jewish or Christian, who perverted true worship and persecuted all who tried to expose them!

  Consequently, all those involved with religions claiming to be Christian, are in reality part of Babylon the Great! Hence the cry from God, "Get out of her my people". (Rev. 18:4)

  All who are sincere Christians have no need to be part of money-making religions to justify their faith. One is their Leader - Christ!

  Just another line of reasoning to consider!
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  maccauk11

  good point. The true church cannot be seen,not made with human hands or withbricks and mortar. All physical representations of it are counterfeit and a delusion of the real one. It is spiritual and not of this world. The destruction ofthe old physical arrangement in the 1st century and the establishment of a spiritual newone is still unseen by the majority. Until all believers recognise the fulfillment of all things in the 1st century.Then they will never enter into the unseen eternal KIngdom. Instead look for man made KIngdoms which are fleshly
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  Island Man

  I'm inclined to agree with you searcher. It is the religious leaders that persecuted the prophets and 1st century christians. It is the religous leaders that many policitians looked to to give them legitimacy in the eyes of the public. It is the religious leaders that succeeded in forcing Pilate's hand. Thus they have a kingdom over the kings of the earth.

  Babylon the great is not just false religion - it's the powerful, manipulative religous leadership associated with many religous organizations including the "faithful and discreet slave" of the JWs. But I think it's focusing not on all religious leaders but specifically those associated with Judaism and christianity (christianity comes from Judaism). You would notice that Revelation mentions the fall of Babylon the great twice. Perhaps the first mention pertains to the judgment in 70CE, of the religious leaders of Judaism who persecuted christ and christians. The second mention could pertain to the judgment of the clergy of christendom which started from in the early centuries and persists down to our day. This harmonizes with Paul's words at 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12 about the "man of lawlessness" who lifts himself up. The 8-man F&DS GB is part of it!

  Why I don't believe it refers to all religious leaders is that the bible tends to be very limited in it's view. For example, there is no mention of the Americas in the bible. The focus in on palestine and asia. Revelation was written to first century christians. There is no reason to think that the writer had Buddism, Hinduism and other religions in mind given that these religions either didn't exist or were outside the context that early christians were familiar with. What they were familiar with was christianity and Judaism and it thus seems most likely that BTG would pertain to that religious context.
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  The Searcher

  ISLANDMAN - "I think it's focusing not on all religious leaders but specifically those associated with Judaism and christianity."

  That was exactly the point I was making in my post - perhaps it didn't come across that way.

  Clearly B t G does not encompass all religions.
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  Bart Belteshassur

  maccauk11 - Could you please list the chapters and verses, where these disciptions of the Whore are stated, as different translations use different descriptions?

  You do appear to have confused the Whore of Babylon with Babylon the Great, the Great City, Babylon the strong city, the Beast, and Babylon the Great City, all of which are different people and places.

  Thanks BB
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  maccauk11

  REV 16:6, 17: 1-6, 18:20-24 Tells us Babylon was drunk with the blood of the prophets, no one else can be said to have persecuted theOld Testament and 1st century prophets. SO only Jerusalem fulfilled that decree and Messiah himslef in Matt 23:31 said it was Jerusalmethat had killed the prophetsand in verse 32 that Jerusalem was about fill the cup of their sin by continuing persecute those sent to her namely the1st century Apostles. REV 17 tells us she had continued to fill her cup by persecuting the propets of old and those who followed Messiah in that 1st century generation.Matt 23:35 SHows usJeruslaem wa sguilty of ALL the blood shed on earth and in verse 36 judgement would comeupon Jerusalem in his generation and itdid come to pass in 70 AD exactly as Messiah and the prophets of old had warned. Finallythe Great city Babylon was also known spiritually as sodom REV 11:8 and the only city that is ever called sodom was Jerusalem Iasiah 1:10,JER 23:14; EZEKIEL 16:44. Babylon is also where the Lord was cruciifed. REV 11:8 Messiah was crucified in Jerusalem. The Jews murfdered stephen, beat peter and john, stirred up persecution against those 1st century faithful ones in Jeruslaem

  InROmans 10:18, 16:25-26, the apostle confirms that the gospel had in fact been preached to all the nations in the world by about 60AD and in COlossians 1:5-7,23 about63AD, he said the gosepl had been preached to every creature under heaven. In Titus 2:11 he said the Gospel had appeared to all men. Meaning the fullfillment of what Messiah said came true before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Babylon was first century Jerusalem. The Harlot was also Gid sunfaithful covenant people of that 1st century generation
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  Crazyguy

  These Peterists views put forth by MACC may have if fact so merit. Jesus does say more then once "this Generation" and it would seem as though what he said in the Olivet did happen in the first century, the jewish system was destroyed. Also if you look at the first chaper of the book of Revelation and the last it says these things will shortly, or quickly. Most scholars believe the book of Revelation was written in about 98 CE but others say that it was written much earlier around 62CE because some of the 7 congegations mentioned did not exsist after the 60's do to an earthquake. So with this info in mind there may be some merit to this idea after all. Also the question could be asked why wait another 2 thousand plus years for the physical coming of christ. I know the JW's argue that its about a bet that Satan made with Jah in the book of Job but if you read that book you may find thats realy not what the book is about.
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  maccauk11

  There can be no dual fulfillment as claimed by many because the prophecies were for one time one generation. Otherwise there would have to be 2 anti christs, 2 resurrections, 2 this , 2 that and 2 the other. Messiah said TheGreat tribulation that was coming upon Jerusalem in 70AD was a one time event only NEVER to be repeated. His own words. The onyl way end time churhce scna justify themselves is to say those 1st cnetury events were foreshadows or have adual fulfillment. For me this would make the finished work of the Mesisah null and void and if it was so, then all Christians are in fact still under law because again Messiahs words Not one jot of the law would pass away until all things have occured. For me Messiah kept his promise to those 1st century faithful ones, cmae back ofr them as he promised and as they were expecting in their 1st century generation. SO what does that mena for mankind. Well first of all mankind ahs to acknowledge the work of Messiah and what he acheived in that 1st centruy and that ALL can enter into his Kingdom once they are free from the eomotional, pshycological, spiritual enslavement by mortal men. It cannot be seen or touched and is not of this world. It has no representation of it, it is not made by human hands or with bricks and mortar.