From: littlejs@nextwork.rose-hulman.edu (Jeffrey S Little)
Subject: Re: Revelations - BABYLON?
Reply-To: littlejs@nextwork.rose-hulman.edu (Jeffrey S Little)
Organization: Computer Science Department at Rose-Hulman
Lines: 38

In article <Apr.21.03.25.41.1993.1322@geneva.rutgers.edu>  
JBUDDENBERG@vax.cns.muskingum.edu (Jimmy Buddenberg) writes:
> 
> Hello all.  We are doing a bible study (at my college) on Revelations.  We
> have been doing pretty good as far as getting some sort of reasonable
> interpretation.  We are now on chapters 17 and 18 which talk about the
> woman on the beast and the fall of Babylon.  I believe the beast is the
> Antichrist (some may differ but it seems obvious) and the woman represents
> Babylon which stands for Rome or the Roman Catholic Church.  What are some
> views on this interpretation?  Is the falling Babylon in chapter 18 the same
> Babylon in as in chapter 17?  The Catholic church?
> Hate to step on toes.
> thanks

An interesting interpretation of Revelation 17 and 18 has been given by  
evangelist David Wilkerson.  I am not saying that I totally agree with his  
interpretation, but it is certainly believable and good food for thought.  He  
interprets the Babylon of Revelation 17-18 as being none other than the good  
old U. S. of A.  That's right, America.  He supports his claim in several ways.   
The Babylon of Revelation is THE world leader in trade and commerce, and the  
WHOLE WORLD wept when Babylon fell.  The American dollar, despite the Japanese  
success of the 20th century, is STILL the most sought after currency in the  
world.  If the U.S. were destroyed, wouldn't the whole world mourn?  The bible  
also talks about Babylon being a home of harlots, sin, and adultery (I am  
paraphrasing, of course).  Babylon's sin affected, or should I say, infected,  
the whole world.  It doesn't take much looking to see that the U.S. is in a  
state of moral decay.  Hasn't the American culture and Hollywood spread the "do  
it if it feels good" mentality all over the world.  I think, though, that what  
Mr. Wilkerson uses as his strongest argument is the fact that Revelation calls  
Babylon "Babylon the Great" and portrays it as the most powerful nation on  
earth.  No matter how dissatisfied you are with the state of our country, I  
don't think you would have too much trouble agreeing that the U.S. is STILL the  
most powerful nation on earth.

Again, this interpretation is not NECESSARILY my own, but I do find it worthy  
of consideration.

Jeffrey Little
