Babylon, mentioned six times by name in the book of Revelation (Rev. Rev. 14:8+; Rev. 16:19+; Rev. 17:5+; Rev. 18:2+, Rev. 18:10+, Rev. 18:21+), plays a significant role in the events prior to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. As with almost all other aspects of the book of Revelation, in order to understand what Babylon is and what it is not, it is important to recognize that the book of Revelation is the capstone of many streams of prophecy which find their source elsewhere in Scripture, and especially in the OT. In a similar way that Genesis and Revelation serve as bookends around God’s written revelation, Babylon also has great significance both in the beginning and end of God’s plan in history.
