Are you out of "Babylon", like The Book of Revelation tells us to be?

Babylon was a city in Mesopotamia and lost it's importance since the river changed course, thereby cutting off it's trade. However it did not collapse immediately, but was deserted by about 600 AD.

The Book of Revelation is entirely irrelevant, except for the possibility that much of the theology of ancient Judaism was developed there by Jews who remained in the city after the captivity, such as Hillel the Elder, a contemporary of Jesus and quite possibly regarded as a source of opposition to the Jerusalem church. So it is very likely that when John wrote "Babylon", that is exactly what he meant. Not Rome or anywhere or anything else.

Babylon is long gone. It is now known as a ruin and is still right where it has been for centuries, outside Baghdad.

Babylon was a "whore" because the city was a wonder, had those beautiful gardens, lots of cultural things to see and do and was a great temptation to those Jews who were sick of living in tents and following the sheep and goats around. The trouble was, when you moved to town you got tempted to follow those other gods and leave I AM in the desert.

I think the Revelation reference to her just goes to show how outdated the book is (Revelation specifically for this conversation) because the city of Babylon has long been defeated, and is not a viable threat to anyone. Unless one of those old brick buildings falls on your head.

Where ever the people went, they took their gods with them when they left. Babylon no longer holds her golden bowl.

a - Describe what "Babylon" is

< Babylon is the World >

b - Show using The Book of Revelation itself that "Babylon" is in fact what you believe it to be

< John 18:36, Luke 23:43, John 5:28-29, Rev 1:9-10, Rev 6:9-11, Rev 7:4-9 and Rev 20:11-13, and MATTHEW 25:34

IF YOU ARE NOT IN THE GRAVE YOU ARE STILL IN THE WORLD, YOU ARE STILL IN BABYLON.

To figure this out, you have to figure out what babylon represents to begin with. I think it might be unrighteous religious associations but not sure.

CAPITALISM . You have to make a sincere covenant with the Father that you will always obey all of Jesus' sayings .

First, what Babylon was - a mighty political empire that was allowed to take God's covenant people, Israel, into captivity for 70 years, due to them having violated their covenant obligations. While in captivity in Babylon, God instructed His people (through the prophets) to raise families, buy land, pray for the peace of Babylon, and work for its good. But God raised up Cyrus the Persian to suddenly overthrow Babylon, in one night, and thus the mighty Babylon fell, never to rise again to anything like what it had been. Then God's people could return to rebuild Jerusalem, after which they never fell into the trap of idolatry, which had got them captive to Babylon in the first place.

Second point - what Babylon is (present tense) as spoken of in the prophecy of Revelation (from 17:1 through to 19:3). She is a prostitute ruling over humanity. The kings of the earth commit adultery with her and the people of this world have been made drunk with the wine of her adulteries. She rides a scarlet, blasphemous beast with 7 heads and 10 horns. This woman is adorned in fabulous attire and jewellery. The gold goblet in her hand is full of obscenities and the impurities of her immorality. On her forehead is written "Babylon the Great, Mother of All Prostitutes and Obscenities in the World." She is drunk with the blood of God's holy people. God incites the scarlet beast to hate her, strip her naked, eat her flesh and burn her remains with fire.

The angel depicting this vision concludes, "And this woman you saw in your vision represents the great city that rules over the kings of the world." Another angels declares that she has become a home for demons and has fallen, despite the merchants of the world having grown rich because of her, and despite her proud boast that she is a queen on a throne.

Then God's people are told to come away from her, not to take part in her sins. They are to rejoice over her fall, when it comes, because God has judged her for the sakes of His people, apostles and prophets. Also, for the sakes of the blood of people slaughtered all over the world.

Third point - what I believe this Babylon the Great to be - a world system so vast, it incorporates religion, politics and commerce, with a view to spiritually corrupting them. But none of God's people, apostles and prophets are a part of this system - they are, instead, subjected to her wrath - till God steps in to avenge their blood. This means that all who belong to Christ, who are part of His Church, are not part of Babylon the Great. Yet they are still warned not to be influenced by this evil system so as to share in her sins. Vigilance of the saints is called for, to see that satanic system which has always existed in the world, designed to attack God's people on earth. I appeal to all the bits I referred to from Revelation chapters 17 to 19, in support.

God enabled me to get out of this Babylon the Great by bringing me to faith in Jesus Christ, the King of God's Kingdom (to go back to the actual question at the start!) He is enabling me to remain without spot from this world (James 1:27). Notice how James says in 4:4, "You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred towards God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God." That fits in perfectly with Revelation.