3. The Nature of Babylon Fallen

Ok, so now, Adventists refer to other organizations than the Roman Catholic Church as “Babylon” as well. We have expanded that term to include other Churches with characteristics similar to the Roman organization. Are we justified in doing so?

Yes.  Clearly, there is more than one “harlot” that the Bible mentions in Revelation. We note that “Babylon the great” is not merely a harlot, but described as “the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth.” If this description is accurate, then it must follow that there are “daughters” that are being identified as “harlots” and “abominations of the earth.”

And did the Roman Catholic Church have “daughters?”  Were there other, perhaps smaller, churches that she birthed, that “came out” from her, but maintained many of the same familial characteristics?  We would have to say that, the symbolic prophecy being true, this must be the case.

In the Bible, the word “daughter” is often used to describe the thing itself, if the characteristics match. We read, for example, of Israel being called both Zion (Isa 1:27) and the “daughter of Zion.” (Isa 37:22) This applies not only to faithful nations, but apostate ones as well.  We read, of Babylon itself, “O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.” (Psa 137:8)

That is a verse with particular importance to this study.  We discover that organizations or entities that share familial relationships are considered one and the same for spiritual reasons.  Husbands and wives are “one flesh,” for example.  The apostate “sisters” of Samaria and Judah, referred to in Isaiah’s parable as “Ahola and Aholibah” undergo similar chastening, although one precedes the other into harlotry. (Ezek 23)

Another place where “sisters” are treated the same as daughters, and the same as the original “woman” herself, is here: “Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed, when thou shalt receive thy sisters, thine elder and thy younger: and I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant.” (Ezek 16:61)

Similarly, and using very similar symbolism as Revelation, “Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister; therefore will I give her cup into thine hand.” (Ezek 23:31)

We read this verse describing the Seraphim, “Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.” (Ezek 1:9)  The imagery is intended to convey that the wings are set together, almost as one object, and moving in the same direction in unity.  But what is translated into English as the phrase “one to another” is actually, in the Hebrew, “a woman to her sister.”

It would seem, then that the nature of Babylon fallen is not only that it identifies a specific organization, but any organization similar to that original “mother of harlots,” whether it be daughters, or, as we shall see shortly, sisters. If we mean to speak of the “nature” of Babylon fallen as its characteristics, we have seen some of those already.  Like Laodicea, she is “rich and increased with goods,” and not coincidentally. She is cruel to the saints of Yahweh.  She is unfaithful to her first covenant (hence the title “harlot”).  She is united with the kings of the earth. This is seen in the way that the kings are spoken of in relation to her, but also in the way that John sees her “riding” a beast.  She is taken around by a beast. Its power has become hers, but she directs it, much as the rider of a horse directs the horse.

In plain terms, then, the “nature” of Babylon fallen is an apostate Church, fallen into pagan errors and blasphemy, directing the actions of a state power (for as we know a “beast” in prophetic symbolism refers to a governmental authority) and also being carried, or supported, by it.  Furthermore, that nature is intended to be a general description of any organization related in any way to this Mother of Harlots.