A striking symbol in Revelation
The phrase comes from Revelation 17, where John sees a woman dressed in royal-looking luxury, riding a scarlet beast. The KJV calls her a "whore", an older, blunt term for a prostitute. In the Bible's prophetic language, sexual unfaithfulness can picture spiritual unfaithfulness, especially when people or nations abandon God for idols, power, wealth, or political alliances (Revelation 17:3-6).
Her title includes the words Mystery, Babylon the Great. This tells readers not to treat every detail as a newspaper-style description. John is seeing a vision full of signs. The woman is portrayed as attractive and powerful, yet deeply corrupt, and she is held responsible for the blood of God's faithful people (Revelation 17:6).
And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Why call her Babylon?
Babylon was a real ancient empire that conquered Jerusalem, destroyed the temple, and took many Jewish people into exile. Later biblical writers remembered Babylon as a proud enemy of God and his people. Revelation uses that historic name as a fitting symbol for a society or power that sets itself up against God (Revelation 18:2).
John also gives an important clue: the woman represents a great city that rules over the kings of the earth (Revelation 17:18). For many early readers, Rome would have come quickly to mind. Rome dominated the known world in John's day, celebrated its wealth and power, and at times persecuted Christians. That is why many Christians understand Babylon as referring first to Rome in its first-century setting.
And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
Why Christians understand it differently
Some Christians believe the vision reaches beyond ancient Rome to a future political, economic, or religious system that will gather worldwide influence before Christ's return. They note that Revelation describes kings, merchants, and nations becoming entangled with Babylon's luxury and corruption (Revelation 18:3, 18:11).
Others see Babylon as a recurring pattern rather than one future organisation. On this reading, Babylon appears whenever wealth, empire, false worship, and cruelty join forces and demand the loyalty that belongs to God alone. These views need not ignore one another. A symbol can speak to John's own world while also warning later generations about the same kind of rebellion.
The point is faithful worship
Revelation does not invite believers to become obsessed with identifying a particular city, church, nation, or public figure. Its central warning is clearer: do not share in Babylon's sins or be captured by its values (Revelation 18:4). God sees exploitation, pride, violence, and false worship even when they are covered by wealth and splendour.
The fall of Babylon is not the final focus of the book. Revelation calls God's people to patient faithfulness and points to the victory of the Lamb. So this vision asks a searching but practical question: where might comfort, status, money, or cultural approval be pulling my heart away from Jesus? Read Revelation 17 and 18 slowly, and let its warning lead you towards worship, courage, and hope.
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.