"O beautiful Babylon, sit now in darkness and silence. Never again will you be known as the queen of kingdoms. For I was angry with my chosen people and punished them by letting them fall into your hands. But you, Babylon, showed them no mercy. You oppressed even the elderly. You said, ‘I will reign forever as queen of the world!’
You did not reflect on your actions or think about their consequences. “Listen to this, you pleasure-loving kingdom, living at ease and feeling secure. You say, ‘I am the only one, and there is no other. I will never be a widow or lose my children.’ Well, both these things will come upon you in a moment: widowhood and the loss of your children. Yes, these calamities will come upon you, despite all your witchcraft and magic" ~ Isaiah 47: 5-9
Anything that exists in the social imagination is up for discussion; especially, when it comes to the end times (detailed in the book of Rev) wherein we find mystery Babylon. We must first describe Babylon. Who or what was that? It was a great city.
It was the capital of southern Mesopotamia from the early 2nd millennium to the early 1st millennium BCE and capital of the Neo-Bablonian (Chaldean) empire in the 7th and 6th centuries BCE when it was at the height of its splendor. What was so impressive about this city? ~ [https://www.britannica.com/place/Babylon-ancient-city-Mesopotamia-Asia/The-ancient-city].
Its citizens had grown wealthy through commerce, benefited from imperial power which was able to protect international trade though it suffered at the hands of disruptive tribesmen. Nonetheless, Babylon had become the largest city in the world at the time of Nebuchadnezzar covering about 4 squared miles. A central feature was Esagila, the great temple of Marduk having integrated ziggurat (a tower built in seven stages) know as the Tower of Babel... ~ [https://www.britannica.com/place/Babylon-ancient-city-Mesopotamia-Asia/The-ancient-city].
That ancient city is long gone so what's with the mystery, right? That's a whole other thing or entity. But one having a deeply strong connection to the past. The Babylon of old (with its citizens and rulers) is included in many books of the Bible but as the 'mystery Babylon' we find it only in the New Testament book of Revelation.
…"The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls. She held in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead a mysterious name was written: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
I could see that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and witnesses for Jesus. And I was utterly amazed at the sight of her.…“Why are you so amazed?” said the angel. “I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and ten horns.
The beast that you saw—it was, and now is no more, but is about to come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction. And those who dwell on the earth whose names were not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world will marvel when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet will be..." ~ Rev. 17: 4-8.
Understand this, the beast on which the woman sat was and is not and yet is. It was a seat of idolatry and persecution and is not.. not in the ancient form, which was pagan; yet it is! What is it? It is truly the seat of idolatry and tyranny, though of another sort and form. It would deceive into stupid and blind submission all the inhabitants of the earth within its influence, except the remnant of the elect ~ Matthew Henry.
Where is America today? Isn't it the very seat, as in center of, idolatry and persecution? Isn't it all about deceiving people into a stupid and blind submission? For those who are awake to the truth, they would surly agree that this is clearly the social reality of the United States. For those who sleep or cover the truth its not an issue let alone their social reality. Perhaps, its not just America but the condition of the world, the global world order at hand.
Many civilizations have risen and fallen... look at Babylon. Aren't we on the cusp of a worldwide fall, a global destruction? Perhaps, the true meaning of 'mystery' Babylon lies in that end ... and is truly reserved only for the 'mystery' Babylon in the social imagination.
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