Fruchtenbaum On Mystery Babylon

From The Footsteps of the Messiah by Arnold Fruchtenbaum:

In (Revelation 17) verse 15, John interprets the meaning of the many waters over which the great harlot rules, saying it refers to the world population. Again, in prostituting the religion, the harlot moved from serving to ruling, and rules the world population for the first half of the Tribulation.

Verses 16-17 go on to describe the destruction of Mystery Babylon. The world religious system of the first half of the Tribulation will be destroyed in the middle of the Tribulation by the Antichrist and his allied kings (v. 16). Unknowingly, they carry out God's will in the matter (v. 17).

Finally, in verse 18, it is stated that the headquarters of Mystery Babylon will be the city of Babylon. Chapter 18 then details the destruction of the city itself as part of the Campaign of Armageddon at the end of the Tribulation.

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