Babylon the Great
“And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” (Rev 17:5 KJV)
The name Babylon comes from Babel, which means confusion. Babel is the mother of the sin of false religion, rebellion, sorcery, and astrology.
“8 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.
9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.
10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.” (Gen 10:8-10 KJV)
“And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” (Gen 11:4 KJV)
“Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee.” (Isa 47:13 KJV)
Babylon – 897 Βαβυλών Babulon {bab-oo-lone’}
Meaning: Babylon = “confusion” 1) a very large and famous city, the residence of the Babylonian kings, situated on both banks of the Euphrates. Cyrus had formerly captured it, but Darius Hystaspis threw down its gates and walls, and Xerxes destroyed the temple of Belis. At length the city was reduced to almost solitude, the population having been drawn off by the neighbouring Seleucia, built on the Tigris by Seleucus Nicanor. 2) of the territory of Babylonia 3) allegorically, of Rome as the most corrupt seat of idolatry and the enemy of Christianity
Origin: of Hebrew origin 0894; TDNT – 1:514,89; n pr loc
Usage: AV – Babylon 12; 12
Notes:
1 harlots: or, fornications