Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 169:675 (Jul 2012)
Article: Have The Prophecies In Revelation 17-18 About Babylon Been Fulfilled? Part 3
Author: Andrew M. Woods

BSac 169:675 (July-September 2012) p. 341

Have The Prophecies In Revelation 17-18 About Babylon Been Fulfilled?
Part 3

Andrew M. Woods

Andrew M. Woods is Associate Professor of Bible and Theology, The College of Biblical Studies, Houston, Texas, and Pastor, Sugar Land Bible Church, Sugar Land, Texas.

The first two articles in this series focused on the fact that arguments preterists rely on to identify Babylon of Revelation 17-18 as first-century Jerusalem are inadequate. Among the arguments discussed were Babylon’s harlotry, alliance, adornment, and title. This article focuses on Babylon’s persecution, influence, sins, and wealth.

Babylon’s Persecution (Rev. 17:6; 18:20, 24; 19:2)

Preterists claim that Babylon represents first-century Jerusalem, based on two factors related to persecution. The first involves Babylon’s persecution of the apostles and prophets (18:20). Preterists believe that this statement could describe only first-century Jerusalem, since she is the only entity responsible for persecuting both Old Testament prophets (Matt. 23:35; Luke 13:33; Acts 7:52) and New Testament apostles (Luke 11:49). Gentry observes, “Rome was stained with the blood of the saints. Yet Rome had only recently entered the persecuting ranks of God’s enemies; throughout Acts Jerusalem and the Jews were the main persecutors. Furthermore, Rome was not guilty of killing any of ‘the prophets’ of the Old Testament, as was Jerusalem.”1

BSac 169:675 (July-September 2012) p. 342

The preterist view is workable only if the apostles and the prophets (οἱ ἀπόστολοι καὶ οἱ προφῆται) of Revelation 18:20 are technical terms that always mean Old Testament prophets and Jesus’ apostles. However, the New Testament demonstrates a broader semantic range for these terms. For example the noun “prophet” and the verb “to prophesy” are frequently used in reference to New Testament prophets (Acts 11:27-28; 13:1; 15:32; 21:10; 1 Cor. 1...