A movement of mighty power is symbolized in these verses. The chronology of the events described in the preceding chapter brings us down to the time when the ten horns turn against the Papacy by depriving her of her temporal authority. This, as we have already seen, was completely fulfilled in 1870 and constituted the fifth plague. In the description of the sixth plague which followed, it was shown that the great city which was invaded was composed of three parts—Paganism (the modern form of the dragon power), Catholicism, and Protestantism. The same great city is here brought to view, and the angel from heaven, with a mighty voice, cries, "Babylon the Great is fallen, is fallen." This fall of Babylon can not signify a literal destruction; for there are certain events to take place in Babylon after her fall which entirely precludes that idea; for instance, the calling of God's people out of her, in order that they may not receive of her plagues. In these plagues is embraced her literal destruction, or complete overthrow. The fall is therefore a moral one; for the result of it is that Babylon becomes "the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird."
Protestants who make any attempt to interpret these prophecies usually limit the designation "Babylon the Great" in these verses to the church of Rome, because the woman symbolizing the apostate church in the preceding chapter is denominated "Babylon the Great." Ver. 5. But the same verse also declares her to be the "Mother of harlots;" and if she as a degraded woman stands as the representative of a corrupt church, her unchaste daughters, also, must symbolize churches that are her descendants; and if the real name of the mother is Babylon, as stated, the proper name of her harlot daughters must be Babylon also. Whether, therefore, the mother or the daughters are referred to, it is all "Babylon the Great," because it is all the same family and is a part of that "GREAT CITY which reigneth over the kings of the earth." Chap. [17:18]. We must, therefore, have something besides the mere title "Babylon the Great" to determine which division of the great city is referred to in a given instance—whether Pagan, Papal, or Protestant.
A careful study of the prophecy now under consideration will show that it has particular reference to the Protestant division of Babylon. It contained many of God's children; whereas Paganism was always a false religion and never held any of God's saints. Under the reign of Catholicism, the people of God are represented in all the symbols of this book relating thereto as existing entirely separate from that communion. The description of this apostate church given in the preceding chapter shows clearly that instead of being partly composed of God's saints, she was their most bitter and relentless persecutor, yea, was "drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus." This is definite proof that the present phase of Babylon under consideration is the Protestant division; and her moral fall is the grand signal for the escape of God's people who have partly composed her number, as the fall of ancient Babylon was for the escape of the Israelites. In their younger days the Protestant organizations (symbolized by the daughters) were of much better character than the mother church from whom they descended. Many of them started out on reform. While a spiritual people, God worked with them; but when they made their image to the beast, they suddenly declined, and this voice from heaven finally declares them to be in a fallen condition—entirely void of salvation, except a very few chosen saints that have not defiled their garments, contained therein.
That this application of the term Babylon is correct, and also, the fallen condition ascribed to her in accordance with the facts, I will prove by the following testimonies of Protestants themselves. The first is from Vision of the Ages; or, Lectures on the Apocalypse, by B.W. Johnson, member of the Christian sect.
"It is needful to inquire what the term Babylon means. It occurs several times in the New Testament. Here (in the Apocalypse) it is spoken of as 'that great city,' and her fall is doomed 'because she hath made all nations drunk with the wine of her fornication.' In Rev. 17:5, a scarlet harlot is seen sitting upon the seven-headed and ten-horned monster, and upon her forehead is written, 'Mystery, Babylon the Great.' With this woman the kings of the earth are said to have committed fornication. In chapter 18 the fall of the great city, Babylon is detailed at length, and it is again said that all the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her. The harlot with Babylon stamped on her brow, and the great city of fornication styled Babylon, in chapters 14 and 18, are one and the same existence.
"There is an ancient city of Babylon often mentioned in the Old Testament, but ages before John wrote, it had ceased to be inhabited, the only dwellers among its lonely ruins were howling beasts and hissing serpents. It has never been rebuilt to this day and has passed away forever. John refers therefore not to old Babylon, but to some power yet unseen (when he was upon the earth), that should be revealed in due time, and of which old Babylon was a symbol. Let us notice some of the features of ancient Babylon.
"1. On that site took place the confusion of tongues which divided those who before had been of one speech and one family, into various tribes and schisms at variance with each other and of various tongues. The word Babylon, a memorial of this event, means confusion, and is derived from Babel.
"2. Old Babylon persecuted the people of God and destroyed the temple in Jerusalem.
"3. It carried the people of God into captivity.