Two become one flesh

Over the years I have struggled to fully comprehend the vision, which John beheld concerning the judgment of Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth, Revelation chapter  17 and 18.

There always seemed to be two major streams of thought concerning the fall of Babylon (Rev 18) and particularly in identifying who or what this vision represents.

On one hand many interpret the vision of the judgment on Babylon the Great as relating to a city, like Rome, who will rule over the nations of the earth in the last days. This Babylon has her foundations in Babel, in building a great city, which reaches to heaven. A nation like the USA and her allies, perhaps the UN. There is certainly plenty of prophetic writing to give this line of thought a sure foundation and many well written articles linking finance, banking and the present economic world empire with Babel/Babylon. i.e. The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her Vs 11

On the other hand many presume the vision, which John beheld, relates purely to a harlot church, such as the harlotry which can be found in the catholic and protestant churches. Again, the words of the prophets would also provide excellent support for this argument. i.e. She glorifies herself and makes the nations drunk with the wine of her adulteries.

And so I have always had great difficulty coming to a place in which I am settled and can say with certainty that she is one or the other.

A quick read of the fall of Babylon in Chapter 18 tends to reveal both the Romish/Babel characteristics of this great city, and the harlot like characteristics of an adulterous woman/church.

So which is it and why is there such confusion?

Ephesians 5:31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.

And so I believe the MYSTERY which John is alluding to is this very same type of mystery as the scripture above refers.

At the end of this present age, when iniquity has reached it’s fulfillment, the Romish/Babel like kingdoms of this world and the church/harlot are ONE. They are virtually indistinguishable from each other. The perfect union between a harlot and her lover, behold a MYSTERY, they are one in spirit.

And this has why it has been it so very, very hard to clearly differentiate one from the other and why you will still find many saying she is this or she is that, for actually, she is both and yet ONE.

Mystery, Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth

Come out of her My people.