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Whore of Babylon

See also: World Church
“The man of sin, the son of perdition … in many respects, the Pope has an indisputable claim to those titles.” [John Wesley] …. “I feel much freer now that I am certain the Pope is the Antichrist.” [Martin Luther]

The Whore of Babylon – Mystery Babylon

Abundant historical and modern-day evidence suggests that the ‘MYSTERY’ of Revelation 17 refers to the Vatican and the Roman Catholic Church. This church is described as a (spiritual) harlot in the sense that, as a powerful political institution, she has entered into worldly relationships with the leaders and kings of the world rather than having total allegiance to Christ (Revelation 17:2).

This corrupt church is a continuation of the ancient Babylonish mystery system, with most of its practices drawn from the Babylonian religion and its priesthood. So Roman Catholicism embraces the Babylonian concepts of sun god and mother and child worship.

When it comes to priesthood, the pope holds the pagan Roman title of Pontifex Maximus (‘high priest’) or ‘chief human bridge between God and man’. Of course, Christ is the only true mediator between God and men. This worldly church will be destroyed at the end of the age (Revelation 17:15,16).

The Bible speaks of a mystery upon the earth. A name was written:

MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH

Revelation 17:5

The word ‘Babylon’ means “confusion”, and the Bible refers to it as a ‘mystery’ or something that is hidden, secret and obscure. In order to explain this mystery it is helpful to first examine the origin of the biblical word ‘Babylon”.

Biblical Babylon

According to the Bible the sons of Noah started to re-populate the earth after the Flood. Noah had a great grandson called Nimrod, a great hunter and leader. He built some of the first cities and one was ‘Babel’ or Babylon in the land of Shinar (ancient Babylonia or modern day Iraq) (Gen 10:10).

Early EU poster

But Nimrod was anti-God. Even his name (Hebrew root ‘marad’) means ‘rebel’, link. According to historian Josephus, Nimrod persuaded men not to ascribe to God and to build a tower too high for any further flood waters to reach! So, on a plain in the land of Shinar they started building a tower to heaven in order to make a name for themselves (Gen 11:1-9). This is highly significant in that Babylon came to denote man’s defiance against God; Nimrod’s high tower glorified man rather than God.

Some of today’s towers symbolize the same defiance, link, link. For example, Nimrod’s tower is mirrored in the European Union today. An official EU poster (now banned due to protests) promoting the EU Parliament clearly showed the Tower of Babel and the words ‘Many Tongues One Voice’. These words are in direct defiance of God’s condemnation of man’s arrogance in Genesis 11. Secular history and Chaldean legend fills in more of the picture.

Origin of the Whore of Babylon

Pagan root of Roman Cathoilicism
Semiramis and child Tammuz. Image:
 templeofyahvehatsmyrna

Chaldean legend claims that after Nimrod’s death his evil wife Semiramis soon became pregnant, link. She told the people that a ray of the sun had come to her and impregnated her with a child and that it was actually Nimrod coming back in a reincarnation of the sun god. The child was called Tammuz. Moreover, in the Chaldean Mysteries Semiramis was worshipped as Rhea, the great ‘Mother’ of the gods, and this led to the peculiar worship of ‘Mother and Son’.

This mother/son idolatry is found in many ancient cultures, link. For instance, the historian Durant claims that the adoration of Mother and Child was found in pagan Egypt, where the Babylonian mother was known as Isis and her child as Horus.

So it was that through Chaldean legend and the claimed actions of Semiramis, the term Babylon became associated with idolatry and prostitution [Hislop, The Two Babylons, 1858] and the historian Herodotus wrote of how Babylon was the prime evil source from which all systems of idolatry flowed. As we shall see, it seems that a satanic hand, the current ‘ruler of the world’ (John 14.30) has used this Babylonian root to grow a counterfeit Christianity.

Rome’s Idolatry

Sun-god and mother-child worship come through Constantine

After his ascension to the Roman throne, Constantine set up the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. There he invited Christian bishops to work out their theological differences. So started the path to state interference in the Christian faith, link, although Constantine continued to support both Christianity and paganism. For example, he retained the title Pontifex Maximus (greatest Pontiff and High Priest of the state cults).

The term pontiff comes from Roman pagan times where the highest priest was considered a ‘bridge builder’ between men and gods. It was a distinctly religious office under the early Roman Republic, but gradually it became politicised and eventually subsumed into the Imperial office. So the title Pontifex Maximus gave Constantine authority over both spiritual and civil affairs, link. Constantine also presided as Summus Pontifex (Highest Pontiff, Vicar of Christ, Bishop of Bishops, link). The veritable meaning of Summus Pontifex and Pontifex Maximus is simply ‘high priest’, link.

The Pope – A false High Priest and Mediator between Men and God

Under Constantine, pagans were now allowed to bring in idols of Semiramis, the Babylonian ‘Queen of Heaven’, and of Nimrod, the ‘Sun god’ into the church. Despite his accommodation of Christianity, historian Johnson claims that Constantine never abandoned sun worship.

Perhaps even more significantly, Constantine’s title ‘Pontifex’ later became a term used for Christian bishops, and the title of Pontifex Maximus (“high priest”) was applied within the Roman Catholic Church to the Pope as its chief bishop! Summus Pontifex (Highest Pontiff) is also sometimes used as a Papal title.

Today, noteworthy titles of the pope are Papa, Summus Pontifex, Pontifex Maximus and Servus servorum Dei, link, implying that the pope has both spiritual and civil authority over men. Not surprisingly, some claim that Constantine and not Peter was in fact the first pope, linklink.

So through Babylon (the Chaldean Mysteries) and Constantine’s pagan roots, the Roman Catholic Church adopted the following idolatries:

  • sun god worship
  • mother-god/mother-child worship
  • Mary Queen of Heaven, link
  • the pope’s title of Pontifex Maximus (‘high priest’ or ‘chief human bridge between God and man’)
  • as with Constantine, the title Pontifex Maximus gives the pope authority over both spiritual and civil affairs

So following on from the last point, today, the Vatican has worldwide political and financial influence, link. For example, the Holy See (aka the Roman Catholic Church) has Permanent Observer Status at the United Nations, link.

The Vatican is not only a religious institution and a centre of political power but also an economic institution with vast financial and real estate holdings

Jean-Guy Vaillancourt, professor of sociology, University of Montreal
Summary: the Whore of Babylon

We can now better understand the term ‘MOTHER OF HARLOTS’ in Revelation 17. First, Roman Catholicism holds the pope as a human “high priest”, whilst the true Church is symbolised as a woman who is submissive only to her husband, Christ, humanities true High Priest (Hebrews 10:21). Put another way, Catholicism prostituted herself to Roman pagan concepts and idols. So here the term “harlot” or “whore” refers to idolatry rather than to sexual transgression.

Similarly, Catholicism is a spiritual harlot in the sense that it has entered into adulterous relationships (spiritual fornication) with the leaders and kings of this world (Revelation 17:2) rather than having total allegiance to Christ. Spiritual formication is also seen in the Vatican’s embrace of Islam (Pope St. John Paul II kissed the Quran). And subsequently Roman Catholicism became the Mother of Harlots (Revelation 17:5) as other parts of Christendom (apostate protestant churches) adopted her practices e.g. worship on Sunday – the pagan “day of the sun”.

But some may still ask “what proof is there that the Vatican, the Roman Catholic church, is the harlot in Revelation 17?” Consider the following correlations with todays papacy:

  • Roman Catholicism has global influence (about 1.2 billion adherents) (Revelation 17:1)
  • The pope readily embraces other faiths which do not honour Christ (Revelation 17:2)
  • The Vatican is political and controls (aka ‘sits on’) world government at the end of the age (Revelation 17:3)
  • The Catholic Church dresses in purple and scarlet, the colours of royalty, and the golden cup is exactly what the Pope uses for the mass (Revelation 17:4)
  • Papal Rome shed the blood of some fifty million Christians in Europe during the middle ages (Revelation 17:6)
  • Rome itself is well known as “the city on seven hills” (Revelation 17:9)
  • Roman Catholicism uses names and symbols of her Babylonian roots e.g. Pontifex Maximus, worship of mother and son (as in Semiramis and child Tammuz), and sun symbols

Roman Catholicism Today

A modern example of sun worship is seen in the Roman Catholic monstrance. This displays a round wafer of bread (called the Eucharistic Host) which is used in the Catholic Mass.

Babylon
Monstrance. Pixabay

In post-medieval times the monstrance took the form of a sunburst on a stand, usually topped by a cross (as shown). The monstrance is also used in some Anglican and Lutheran Churches, link.

From about 400 AD we find images (idols) of saints and martyrs appearing in churches, together with the adoration of the Mother and Child (the Virgin Mary) and the evolution of the ‘priest’ from the early church elder. In accordance with the title Pontifex Maximus, we find the medieval western church under the papacy becoming a powerful political machine, far removed from the church of the gospels.

In fact, with much historical documentation, Hislop (The Two Babylons) maintains that the Roman Catholic Church is a continuation of the ancient Babylonish mystery system, with most of its practices drawn from the Babylonian religion and its priesthood.

Let’s list some of the idolatrous practices and pagan doctrines of today’s Catholic Church:

  • The round wafers in the sacrament and in the monstrance symbolise the sun (the sun was erected above the altars in the worship of Baal, [Hislop])
  • The columns of St Peter’s Cathedral in Rome have a sun-like image, and a wall has a golden sunburst image just as in the Babylonian temple
  • The Church claims that the woman in Revelation 12:1 represents the Virgin Mary or ‘Mother of God’
  • The Church insists that there is no salvation by faith alone, but that further works are required e.g. through the sacraments and penance. Thus, salvation can only be achieved through the Catholic Church and Rome is the only true church
  • The Church insists that the pope is unable to err in any formal statement (such as a Papal Bull)
  • The Church ordination of a special priesthood is contrary to New Testament teaching (1 Tim 2:5, Heb 10:19-22)
  • The Church insists that the Mass is a sacrifice as Christ continues to offer Himself on the altar
  • The Church insists that the wafer and wine are changed into the body and blood of Christ (transubstantiation)
  • The Church is a prime player in the EU, so merging Christ’s true mission for the church with state business. Recent EU Treaty emphasis upon the ‘subsidiarity’ of nation states to the EU is a Vatican concept [Semlyn, All Roads Lead to Rome]

Pagan Christmas – Pagan Sunday

Of course, Wycliffe, Huss, Tyndale, Luther, Calvin, Knox, Whitefield, the Wesley’s, and others recognised many of these doctrines and practices as being opposed to biblical teaching, and so they opposed the Catholic Church. Even so, today’s free churches are only partially reformed from Rome in that they still retain pagan concepts. For example, December 25th was originally the heathen date used to honour the birth of the son of the Babylonian queen of heaven [Hislop]. And the Christian Sunday arose when Constantine replaced the Jewish Sabbath since he decreed no work was to be done on ‘the venerable day of the sun’ (Sunday).

The Harlot is Destroyed by Fire

Ancient Babylon was destroyed by the Medo-Persian Empire around 539 BC. This destruction was foretold in Isaiah 47, where Babylon is described as “daughter of the Chaldeans” … queen of kingdoms”. She was powerful and proud, but her destruction was coming. Isaiah 47 describes history, but the chapter also looks forward to an end time Babylon. The parallels between what happened to ancient Babylon and what will happen to the future ecclesiastical Babylon (headed by the Roman Catholic Church) are striking. Regarding ancient Babylon we read:

Yet you said, ‘I will be a queen for ever … I am, and there is no one besides me. I will not sit as a widow …’ (Isa 47:7-8)

Compare this with the prophecy of the end time Mystery Babylon:

… for she says in her heart; ‘I sit as a queen and I am not a widow …’ (Rev 18:7)

Regarding ancient Babylon we read:

But these two things will come on you suddenly in one day: loss of children and widowhood … they have become like stubble, fire burns them … (Isa 47:9,14)

Compare this with prophecy for the end time Babylon:

For this reason in one day her plagues will come,… and she will be burned up with fire … (Rev 18:8)

The prophetic picture is one of an end time apostate church suffering sudden and catastrophic destruction. How? Destruction comes from the other end time Babylon – the powerful ten-horned beast of Rev 13.1, the final commercial, political and humanistic world government (see World Government):

… and the ten horns … and the beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her desolate and naked, … and will burn her up with fire (Rev 17:16)

Why does this happen? A plausible explanation is that the political beast of Revelation 13:1-10 is godless and its leader demands that the world worship him alone (2 Thes 2:4)(Rev 13:8). The end time church, although corrupt and ‘Babylonish’, will probably still acknowledge God as supreme above all creation, and so stands in the way of the aspirations of the end time world ruler. In fact, many see the other beast of Revelation 13 (v 11-18) as the Antichrist – represented by the papacy – and this beast is notably absent in Revelation 17:16.

Summary

Nimrod’s Babylon was originally humanistic, political and commercial, but with the influence of his wife this soon developed into idolatry, pagan worship and moral corruption (the ‘Chaldean Mysteries’). These pagan mysteries subsequently developed into an ecclesiastical Babylon which many believe is characterised by Roman Catholicism today. Here we readily see the idolatry of ‘mother and child’ worship and ‘sun god’ worship, and sadly, elements of these mysteries are still retained by today’s Protestant Church.

Both Babylons, religious and political, can be seen in Rev 17 and 18 (noting that Revelation 17:14-18 is specifically the political Babylon), and prophecy indicates that the end-time apostate world church headed by Rome will be destroyed by the political Babylon. Many claim both Babylon’s can be seen within the EU, see Europe in Bible Prophecy.

Download a detailed study of the two Babylon’s:
End-times: The Last Years of this Age
A Word version is here


6 Comments

  1. Jill Milard Jill Milard 20/10/2023

    Roman Catholics are considered excommunicated immediately if they join the Freemasons so whatever this woman claimed to be she would not have legally been considered a Catholic by the Catholic church. Honestly I wish people would have more sense and do some research before spewing nonsense about the Catholic Church. It aint great but its generally better than the alternatives. I’d like to know which church you all think i should join instead because they are all usually a lot worse. Church of England ? Set up by an adulterous king who repented to a catholic priest on his deathbed, headed by an adulterous king and happy for its gay clergy to marry despite what it clearly says in the bible ? What about the Latter Day Saints ? Set up by a false prophet in America not that long ago ? I could go on…..
    [ Jesus warned of many false prophets – like the Latter Day Saints – in the end times (Mat 24:11). The ‘woman’ you seem to be referring to is a system, not an individual. Rev 17 describes an apostate religious system (the beast of Rev 13:11) which supports a godless end-time world government (the beast of Rev 13:1). The first few verses of Rev 17 strongly suggest that the woman is Rome – the Vatican. Join the true church as in Acts2, often seen in house churches. Ed. ]

  2. Jill Milard Jill Milard 20/10/2023

    Honestly are you kidding me ? Ridiculous nonsense about the catholic church yet again. Which Christian church do you think represents the ‘real’ truth then ? None of them probably is the answer to that one so they are all whores of babylon ? Even the church Jesus sets up through Peter (oh yes – I think that might nowadays be known as the catholic church). So Jesus was wrong as well then. Real apostasy is not believing in Christ and God. And as for faith and works – you need to study your bible before you start writing. In one place it mentions by faith alone, and in another faith and works. The more general consensus these days of this sticky point generally (which was one of the causes of the Reformation) is that faith shows itself by works eg love charity not sinning etc. Faith alone is not likely to get you into heaven if you carry on murdering people is it ? Even the demons believe in God – according to the bible – so is that enough to save them ? Of course not. Is the catholic church/pope right about everything ? Of course not and I dont think even the pope thinks that or there wouldn’t be debate in the RC church at all. I could go on and on but you idiots need to wake up and smell the coffee. Christians including Catholics are being persecuted everywhere. They are dwindling in number and influence everywhere. Belief in Jesus is in short supply just as the bible says it will be in end times – lets not crucify ANY christian church that believes in Jesus over imagined nonsense. Lack of understanding and of real biblical research is lazy thinking. And no – christians have absolutely zero to do with setting up the muslim faith. All of you need to GROW UP. The time is short.
    [ The RC church claims to be the only true church and aims to draw Protestant churches into its fold. The result will be a world-wide ecclesiastical Babylon, Rev 17. The way out of that is to form free churches – as in Acts 2. Of course, there are born again people in the RC, its the SYSTEM that is corrupt. Ed.]

  3. Joe Williams Joe Williams 16/09/2023

    Is it possible that the WHOLE of Christianity, Catholic and Protestant, mother and child, is the whore of Babylon? Protestants still preach and teach Roman Catholic Doctrine including Sunday, as the Sabbath, in direct contradiction to the word of God.

  4. Kimberly Kimberly 10/05/2022

    Is it possible that the Roman Catholic Church played a role in the development of the Islamic Faith? Neither one of them are big fans of our Jewish brothers & sisters, & it seems like a win-win situation for the RCC &Islam. I mean no disrespect or judgment, it’s just a question I don’t seem to be able to get a straightforward answer to. Thank you.

    • ceeKtruth-block ceeKtruth-block Post author | 10/05/2022

      We are not aware of historic close connections between the RCC and the Islamic faith. But in recent times the RCC has nurtured relations with Islam. [Ed.]

  5. Dennis Dennis 28/04/2021

    It is laughable that a Roman Catholic woman I knew in a work place was not aware that her and my common boss was a Freemason. Nobody else in my engineering department could see that the entire division was controlled by these Satan worshipers. Roman Catholics have their heads in the sand and are unable to see the world as it truly is.

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