Mystery, Babylon the Great
TimeWatch Editorial
November 16, 2015
Revelation 17 has referred to an entity by the name, ‘Mystery, Babylon the Great.’ For many, this identifier has been a source of controversy and debate. Listen to Revelation 17:
Revelation 17:3 - So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
Revelation 17:4 - And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
Revelation 17:5 - And upon her forehead [was] a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Perhaps, the following will help.
Daniel chapter five describes a feast which took place in Babylon. The king at that time was Belshazzar who was unperturbed by the presence of Persians who were threatening to attack the kingdom. Belshazzar was secure in the fact that ‘his Babylon’ could not be easily assaulted. Its walls were 300 feet tall and 75 feet wide. There was a moat running around the entire city. The city itself was 14 miles by 14 miles, with a river running through the middle of it. There were gates of steel that blocked the entrance of the river Euphrates that passed through the city, so that as far s Belshazzar was concerned, there was absolutely no need to worry.
What has been overlooked by many of us as we have studied this moment is the fact that Daniel chapter five clearly identifies this as no ordinary feast. Ralph Woodrow, in his Book entitled: Babylon Mystery Religion, on page 79 describes the feast this way;
“It was a religious gathering, a celebration of the Babylonian mysteries of which Belshazzar was the head at that time. "They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, and of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone" (Dan. 5:4).” Ralph Woodrow, Babylon Mystery Religion, page 79.
What is also overlooked is the description of the gods in the above text. These gods were made of approximately the same materials as were used in the entire image of Daniel 2, to describe all the kingdoms to follow. It is therefore not surprising that Ralph Woodrow, speaking of Babylon, continues this way on the same page;
“The ancient city is now in ruins, uninhabited, desolate (Jer. 50:39; 51:62). There is a railroad which runs from Baghdad to Basra which passes close by. A sign written in English and Arabic says: "Babylon Halt, Trains stop here to pick up passengers." The only passengers, however, are tourists who come to inspect the ruins. But though the city was destroyed, concepts that were a part of the old Babylon religion survived!” Ralph Woodrow, Babylon Mystery Religion, page 79.
The full impact of Babylonian Mysteries is still being experienced today. The conquering of the world by Rome meant the merging of Babylonian Religion into the belief systems of the Roman Empire. Perhaps one of the most easily identified holdovers was the office “Supreme Pontiff or Pontifex Maximus. This blended the role of Nimrod in the Babylonian Era with the role of Julius Caesar in 63 B. C.
The Roman emperors (including Constantine) continued to hold the office of Pontifex Maximus until 376 when Gratian, for Christian reasons, refused it. He recognized this title and office as idolatrous and blasphemous. By this time, however, the bishop of Rome had arisen to political power and prestige. Consequently, in 378, Demasus, bishop of Rome, was elected the Pontifex Maximus—the official high priest of the mysteries! Since Rome was considered the most important city in the world, some of the Christians looked to the bishop of Rome as "bishop of bishops" and head of the church. This produced a unique situation. One man was now looked to as head by both Christians and pagans. By this time, and through the years that followed, the streams of paganism and Christianity flowed together, producing what is known as the Roman Catholic Church, under the headship of the Pontifex Maximus, the Pope. Ralph Woodrow, Babylon Mystery Religion, page 80.
This then is the basis of the identification of Roman Catholicism as, Mystery Babylon the Great. Further study will reveal that every identifier applied to Catholicism by the word of God is accurate in every detail.
Cameron A. Bowen
