Tag Archives: Mystery Babylon

TRIBULATION

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Revelation 1:9. Tribulation: “I, John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation.”

Purpose of the Writing

Discerning the purpose of any writing is crucial to its interpretation. Just so, in the Book of Revelation, what one discerns as its primary purpose colors every aspect of the interpretation of the Book. Many interpreters see the purpose of the Book as being to comfort those who are being persecuted. Those who thus interpret the purpose of the Book then usually interpret this persecution as coming from the Roman government.

There are therefore two questions to be examined: (1) Is the primary purpose of the Book to comfort those suffering persecution? And (2) is the persecution alluded to in the Book from the Romans or from the Jews? The question of the source of persecution is tied to the date of the writing.

Date of the Writing: 96 AD or 68 AD?

Those who see the date of writing as in Emperor Domitian’s reign, circa 96 AD, view the persecution as coming from the Roman Empire, and Mystery Babylon as Rome. These three facets of interpretation, i.e., (1) the date of writing, (2) the source of persecution, and (3) the identity of Mystery Babylon, all depend upon each other and neither of them can stand alone. If any one of them is totally proven, the others would be on much steadier ground. However, if any one of them is totally disproved, the others must fall with it.

Those who see the writing as being in Emperor Nero’s reign, about 64-68 AD, have the option to view the persecution as coming both from the Roman Empire (Rome, interpreted as the Beast), and Judaism, (Jerusalem), interpreted as Mystery Babylon. After reviewing Biblical and historical records, this is my view.*

Persecution Under Nero, circa 64 AD

The Roman persecution under Nero as described by the ancient Roman historian Tacitus[i] was probably not a general law against Christianity as such but a specific charge such as of arson. Tacitus had no respect for Christianity, but admitted that the charges of their having set fire to Rome in 64 AD were a “frame-up.” Whatever difficulties they may have encountered at this time in Rome, the modern historian Cary says: “There is no evidence for persecution outside Rome,” (ibid. note 27), and Nero’s ruthless treatment of Christians caused the general populous to pity them and to hate Nero even more, (ibid. 359).

The Church historians have little record or memory of the Neronian persecution. Other than Tacitus, they have the ancient historian Suetonias’ allusion to a disturbance in Rome caused by one “Chrestus” which may have been his mistaken conception of a Jewish uprising against the Christians in that city, (ibid. 639, n. 50).

Therefore, there is little evidence of widespread Roman persecution in Nero’s reign, but there is evidence that there was a “frame-up” against the Christians and a Jewish uprising against the Christians.

*(See Lesson 18: “The Writer and Date of Writing” in my Book, Revelation In Context.)

[i] As given by Cary and Scullard, History of Rome, 634, note 26-7.

Lesson 10 Of Series – To Fulfill The Promised Vengeance

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The Promised Vengeance

At the time of the writing of the Book of Revelation, another piece of unfinished business which God was morally obligated to fulfill was that of vengeance. He had promised:

  • (A) To avenge the breaking of His Covenant;
  • (B) To avenge His saints and martyrs, both as their God and as their Kinsman-Redeemer; and:
  • (C) To avenge the shedding of innocent blood and to cleanse the land from defilement

(A) To Avenge The Breaking Of His Covenant

The passage in Leviticus 26:14-46  describes the penalty for the national sin of breaking the Covenant. The penalty was to be exacted through sword, famine, pestilence, wild beasts, destruction, desolation, and dispersion. The Babylonian captivity had come because Israel had broken the Covenant, yet God in His mercy used it to rebuke and chasten His erring children rather than executing His full measure of divine wrath.

At the time of the writing of the Book of Revelation, fleshly Israel was again in full disobedience except for those in Christ. The penalty for breaking the Covenant was therefore due and it was morally imperative that God fulfill the wrath promised. The Book shows these penalties being executed. The pattern of sevens in the Book may be a reminder of the oath of the Covenant, reflecting the seven-times-over nature of the penalty that was promised in Leviticus 26:18, 21, 24, 28. (See “The Number Seven in the Bible” Commentary on 1:4.)

The Goodness And The Severity Of God

In reference to this passage in Leviticus, it was morally imperative that God fulfill His Covenant while at the same time, He was morally obligated to forgive the repentant who confessed their sins, (26:40); and, when their “uncircumcised hearts are humbled,” (26:41, see also Rom. 2:28-29), then He would reinstate them into His Covenant, (v. 45). In the destruction of Jerusalem vengeance was accomplished and in the Revelation of Jesus Christ reinstatement into the New Jerusalem was possible. Since Christ was made the New Covenant, (Isa. 42:6-7), when Judaism rejected Him, if for no other reason, they had broken both the Old and the New Covenants. That put them on equal footing with the Gentiles; there was no difference. Salvation for all depended upon God’s mercy in Christ.

To Avenge His Covenant People As Promised

Vengeance is a major theme of the Book of Revelation and shows that God has fulfilled this aspect of His Covenant. In Revelation 6:9-11, the opening of the fifth seal reveals the souls of the slain martyrs as they cry out to be avenged. This vengeance is promised as soon as their number is completed. From here the tension builds throughout the seals and the trumpets.  The climax comes and the vengeance is completed in the destruction of Mystery Babylon, the fallen city of Jerusalem, chapters 17 and 18. Following this, the saints rejoice in triumphal praise to God for vengeance has been executed, (Revelation 18:20, 24; 19:1-3).

Jerusalem Had Become the “Mystery Babylon”

Revelation 18:24 corresponds to Christ’s prediction in Matthew 23:29-36 of vengeance against Jerusalem for “all the righteous blood shed on earth,” (v. 35), when the full number of martyrs should be accomplished. That Christ’s prophecy was spoken directly against Jerusalem is clear from verse 37a: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent unto you!”

Christ foretold that many of these martyrs were to be the Christians sent by Himself. Addressing Jerusalem He said: “I send you prophets, and wise men, and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from town to town,” (v. 34 RSV).

This vengeance was not to be delayed beyond the lifetime of the generation that heard Christ predict it, (v. 36). So the complete number of martyrs for which fleshly Judaism was held responsible was to be fulfilled within “this generation” of time.

Next Lesson: The Sixth and Seventh Seals

Lesson 2 of Series: Judgment Against The Jews First

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Why was it ‘Morally Necessary” that God Judge the Jews First?

Romans 2:2-11 sets forth the rationale for God’s righteous judgment against the Jews. In verses 2-3 we see that, in order to deter sin, judgment rightly falls upon those who do these evil things, lest sinners should hope to escape, and lest God’s purposes should be misunderstood, (verse 4). It is God’s nature as a holy God to bless the righteous and to condemn the wicked, (verses 5-8). He shows no partiality in judgment, (verses 6 and 11).

Since salvation was to the Jew first, then to the Gentiles, (Rom. 1:16), it is also just that God’s righteous wrath be revealed first against the Jews, but also against the unrepentant Gentiles in their time. This order: “the Jew first,” does not reflect any respect of persons in judgment, nor a superior position in grace. It simply shows God’s sovereign choice of method in revealing Himself and His salvation to the world. He chose to use the Jews as an example, a pattern, and as a type and shadow. Having had the privilege of receiving God’s revelation in the Law, the Covenant and the Prophets, they were held accountable for recognizing Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of all that was previously foretold and promised. By the same token, after Gentiles receive the Gospel, they too are equally responsible.

The Jews Held Accountable

The life, works, death and resurrection of Christ had been fully revealed to the entire Jewish world in the period prior to AD 70, (Colossians 1:5-6). It was therefore morally imperative that they be brought to account. Romans 1:18-32 declares that God’s wrath is being revealed against those “who hold the truth in unrighteousness.” At that time, this applied specifically to the Jewish nation. It was they who were without excuse, (v.20), because they had been fully exposed to the knowledge of God, (v. 21), had had the truth of God, (v. 25), and knew about the promised judgments of God, (v. 32).

To those Jews Paul declared that “…the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you.” (Rom. 2:24). It was morally imperative that God defend His Name against blasphemy.

Distinction Between Jews and “Those Who Call Themselves ‘Jews'”

Indeed, the name ‘Jew’ itself was being misused by these unbelievers, for Paul shows that true Jewish identity depends upon faith, not upon circumcision of the flesh, but rather that of the heart, “…in the spirit, and not in the letter,” (Rom. 2:28-29). (See also Deut. 30:6; Jer. 32:29.) In fact this passage in Romans 2 from verse 17, “Behold, thou art called a Jew,” through verse 29 furnishes a definition of the kinds of people “who call themselves Jews and are not, but do lie,” as mentioned in Revelation 2:9 and 3:9.

In Romans 3:5-6, Paul chides those Jews for suggesting that God might be unjust to take vengeance upon them for their sins. Then he says: “God forbid, for then how shall God judge the world?” This clearly indicates that judgment and vengeance against these Jews was a prerequisite, and was morally imperative if God was to judge the entire Gentile world later for these same sins.

The Word Must

Therefore, this word must, (Revelation 1:1), indicating a moral imperative, foreshadows what is about to be revealed to John. It was fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem. God’s righteous wrath upon the unbelieving wicked is described symbolically as the destruction of “Mystery Babylon,” (Revelation 17 and 18).