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Revelation 14

12/24/2012

 
Click here to read today's passage on Bible Gateway.

Babylon in Revelation
"This is the first reference to Babylon in Revelation, though the details regarding Babylon’s offense and judgment will be dealt with at great length in chapters 17 and 18. Gaebelein writes: “This is an anticipative announcement of what will also happen as the great tribulation nears its close.” Ryrie writes that

  the repetition of “is fallen” emphasizes the certainty of the utter destruction of Babylon. This is anticipatory since Babylon’s actual fall is connected with the outpouring of the seventh [bowl]...

Just as Babylon of old was the fountainhead of idolatry, so is mystic Babylon today the mother of all false religious teaching in Christianity. In the time of the end it will be headed up in one great false church—that worldly church, which has proved so unworthy and false to her Lord, is to be broken absolutely to pieces, to be utterly destroyed."
[1]

So, in Revelation, Babylon may refer to a city that is the center of the new religion and politics of the world, but it certainly is symbolic of false teaching that is epitomized in the last days with the worship of the antichrist as God.  False teaching has always been present and symbolized with Babylon (with an additional linguistic connection to Babel, where men also rebelled).  This will reach a crisis point in the last days as almost all of the world worships the antichrist, but will also ultimately meet its demise at God's hand and with His wrath.

[1] Steve Gregg, Revelation, Four Views: A Parallel Commentary (Nashville, TN: T. Nelson Publishers, 1997), Re 14:8.
Andrei
12/24/2012 06:33:02 pm

I'm not sure if I missed something... I was going to ask what is going on with the 144,000... the 144,000 are Israelites? Did they have special powers like the ones described in verses 1-5 earlier/ in Revelation? Why/how are they the 'firstfruits', and not defiled, etc...?

greg
12/26/2012 03:10:36 am

It's definitely tough, particularly the "virgins" part. I'm not sure I would choose the term "special powers", but I get what you're saying. Here's what one commentary had to say:

"Whereas chapter 7 revealed little about them beyond their number and nationality, this description emphasizes their character. In deliberate contrast to those at the end of the previous chapter, who had the number or name of the beast on their foreheads, this company is seen with God’s name on their foreheads (v. 1). The 144,000 are not defiled with women, for they are virgins (v. 4). This is not likely to refer to sexual virginity, since their virginity is contrasted with defilement. Married people would not be virgins, but neither are they defiled by being married (Heb. 13:4). Gaebelein expresses the opinion of most when he writes: “They did not defile themselves with the corruptions and idolatries prevalent on the earth. They kept themselves from spiritual fornication.” Walvoord elaborates:

In like manner Israel is referred to frequently in the Bible as “the virgin daughter of Zion” (Lam. 2:13), and as the “virgin of Israel” (Jer. 18:13; 31:4, 21; Amos 5:2). In the New Testament also, the term “virgin” is used both of men and of women as in 2 Corinthians 11:2 in reference to the church as a bride."



Steve Gregg, Revelation, Four Views: A Parallel Commentary (Nashville, TN: T. Nelson Publishers, 1997), Re 14:1–5.

Andrei
12/26/2012 06:28:08 pm

Thanks.


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