Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 169:676 (Oct 2012)
Article: Have The Prophecies In Revelation 17-18 About Babylon Been Fulfilled? Part 4
Author: Andrew M. Woods

BSac 169:676 (October-December 2012) p. 465

Have The Prophecies In Revelation 17-18 About Babylon Been Fulfilled? Part 4

Andrew M. Woods

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

The previous three articles in this series discussed the fact that the textual arguments preterists rely on do not identify Babylon of Revelation 17-18 as first-century Jerusalem. Among the arguments discussed were Babylon’s harlotry, alliance, adornment, title, persecution, influence, sins, and wealth. This article continues this analysis by focusing on Babylon’s geography, incurred justice, and destruction.

Babylon’s Geographic Locale (Rev. 17:1, 3; 18:17-19)

John’s description of Babylon includes two geographic details that do not easily fit a first-century Jerusalem identification: Babylon’s location in the wilderness (17:3) and by water (17:1; 18:17-19).

Wilderness (Rev. 17:3)

Commentators differ on whether John’s depiction of the woman in the wilderness (17:3) pertains to John’s location in the valley of the vision or Babylon’s location in the wilderness.1 Two reasons make the latter option more attractive.2 First, the vision in

BSac 169:676 (October-December 2012) p. 466

Revelation 17-18 concerns Babylon, which was located in a wilderness, according to the Old Testament (Isa. 21:1, 9). Second, the only other uses of the word “wilderness” or “desert” (ἔρημον) in the Apocalypse are in 12:6, 14. Preterists understand this wilderness as a literal place called Pella, where the early church fled during the Jewish War.3 Some futurists understand this wilderness as a literal place called Petra, to which the nation Israel will escape during the Tribulation in fleeing from the wrath of Satan and the Antichrist.4 Thus a literal understanding of the wilderness in chapter 12 may also indicate a literal understanding of the same word in chapter 17. This point is strengthened when it is remembered that the woman in chapter 12 and the woman i...