Unveiling Three Parts of Babylon: Exposing the Kingdom of Satan

By William C. Taggart III PhD

This second book of the Unveiling Series, Unveiling Three Parts of Babylon, by Dr. William C. Taggart III, offers a biblical study based on Revelation 16:19 where the kingdom of Satan, portrayed as the great city Babylon, falls into three parts.

The author noted that in Revelation 18:4, the saints are urged to leave Babylon to avoid her plagues, Jeremiah 51: 35, 49. That the Satanic kingdom is portrayed biblically in three parts in Revelation 16:19, makes it imperative that the saints have a biblical understanding of those three parts to exit the Satanic kingdom completely. A correct biblical understanding of the three parts of Babylon is essential to the fleeing saints as they seek to escape the Satanic influences in all its forms.

Unveiling Three Parts of Babylon continues the Unveiling Series by further biblically developing the three parts of Babylon which initially was presented by the author’s doctoral dissertation through corrections made and additional analysis.

This second book not only exposes more fully the kingdom of Satan but encourages the successful exit of all humanity from the Babylonian entanglements of all three parts, Revelation 18:4.

• Language: English
• Publisher: LifeRich Publishing
• Release date: Dec 6, 2022
• ISBN: 9781489741608

William C. Taggart III PhD

The author hails from a strong religious background with his father Chaplain (Col) W C. Taggart, Jr. and his grandfather, William C. Taggart, Sr., a local pastor. The author earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and history with emphasis in human rights from Westminster College, Fulton, Missouri; a master’s in religion from Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan; and a Ph. D. in philosophy with an emphasis in biblical imagery and apocalyptic scripture. His writings are primarily biblical studies with a focus on the apocalyptic biblical literature and the everlasting gospel’s role in the last days. This is his second book.

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Copyright © 2022 William C. Taggart III, PhD.

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Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

ISBN: 978-1-4897-4159-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4897-4158-5 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4897-4160-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022908115

LifeRich Publishing rev. date: 11/07/2022

DEDICATION

To Dr. S. Douglas Waterhouse

(Who first identified the biblical three parts)

And

To All My Brothers and Sisters

(Seeking to escape the Babylonian system of the Lord God

i.e., the kingdom of earth and heaven, Gen. 2:4, Rev. 20:11)

CONTENTS

List of Figures

Preface

1. Introduction: Foundations for Understanding

The Problem

The Purpose

The Delimitations of this Study

The Importance of the Study

Theological-Educational Presuppositions

The Hermeneutical Principles/Presuppositions

The Pedagogical Presuppositions

Methodology

Overview of the Study

2. The Historical Development of the Three Part Construct By Waterhouse

The Conception Development

A Brief History of the Development and Critique of the Construct

A Description of the Three-part Construct

The Significance of the Three-Part Construct

3. Introducing Five Biblical Geographical Relationships

Overview

Introducing the Central Imagery Picture of Rev. 17

The Historical Roots of the Imagery Picture of Rev. 17

(The Historical City of Babylon)

(The Historical Kingdom of Babylon)

(The Historical Judgment-fall of the Kingdom of Babylon)

(The Historical Three Judgments-falls of the City of Babylon)

The Biblical Roots of the Imagery Picture of Rev. 17

Introducing the Central Imagery Picture of Rev. 13

The Biblical Roots of the Central Imagery Picture of Rev. 13

Introducing Two Pairs of Chapters, 13/14 and 17/18

Biblically Connecting Chaps 14 and 18

Biblically Connecting Chaps 13 and 17

Significance of the Pairs to Religious Education

Introducing Five Geographical Relationships

The First Geographical Relationship (The Exclusive Water Tiered Relationship)

The Second Geographical Relationship (The Exclusive Land Tiered Relationship)

"The Third Geographical Relationship (The Land/Water Double Tiered Relationship)

The Fourth Geographical Relationship (The Land/ Water Distinction)

The Fifth Geographic Relationship (The Flowing Water Foundation)

The Significance of the Geographical Relationships

Their Divine Origin

The Geographical Relationships Reveal Two Similar Chapters (Rev. 13 and 17)

The Geographical Relations Assist Transfer of Knowledge

The Geographical Relations as Scriptural Ties

A Biblical Teaching Strategy Revealed

4. Identifying the Three Parts of Babylon

Overview

The Distinction in Time Between 13 and 17

The Strand Chiasm

The 6th Plague Angel Speaking

The Biblical Textual Setting of the Pairs 13/14 and 17/18

Six Similar Biblical Relational Patterns

The Exclusive Water-Tiered Pattern

The Direct Water Support Pattern

The Dual Land-Water Support Pattern

The Exclusive Land Tiered Pattern

The Land / Water Distinction Pattern

The Indirect Support Pattern

The Significance of the Six Support Patterns

Connecting Rev. 13 Imageries to Rev. 17 Imageries

(The Leopard-like Beast to the Harlot/Woman)

(The Sea to the Waters of People)

(The Lamblike Beast to the Daughter Harlots)

Introducing Four Imagery Clusters of Babylon

The Water-Tiered (Dominant) Cluster

The Direct-Water-Support Cluster

(Identifying The Scarlet Beast)

(Teaching the Scarlet Beast as a Unique Identity)

The Indirect-Land-Tiered Support Cluster

The Great City/Kingdom (Supreme) Cluster

The Great City Falls into Three Parts – Rev. 16:19

Renaming the Support Clusters

The Drying up of the Euphrates River (Rev. 16:12)

Three Parts of Babylon

The Significance of the Four Clusters

The Leopard-like Beast Cluster

The Lamblike Beast Cluster

The Scarlet Beast Cluster

The Great City Cluster

5. The Three falls - Judgments of Babylon

Overview

The Divine Weapon of Choice – The Everlasting Gospel

Preparing For War (Armageddon)

The Refining Fire of God (The Lake of Fire and Brimstone)

The Three Historical Falls-Judgments of Babylon

The Historical Kingly First Fall (Overturn)

The Historical Priestly Second Fall (Overturn)

The Historical Third Fall (Overturn)

The Three Falls of Satan

The First (Kingly) Fall by Satan from Heaven

The Second Priestly Fall by Satan during and after Armageddon

The Third Fall of Satan After the Millennium

The Personal Three Kingdom Falls within Mankind

The First Personal (Kingly) Fall

The Second Personal (Priestly) Fall

The Third Personal (people) Fall

The Three Personal Falls of Nebuchadnezzar

The First Personal Fall of Nebuchadnezzar

The Second Personal Fall of Nebuchadnezzar

The Third Personal Fall of Nebuchadnezzar

The Drying Up of the Euphrates River

An Issue of Life and Death

Introducing The Water and Food of Life

The Water of Life (The Holy Spirit)

The Food of Life (Doing the Will of God)

The Everlasting Covenant, the wages of life.

6. Teaching for Transfer

Overview

The Transfer Significance of Teaching the Three Parts

The Significance of Teaching the Three-Part Construct

A Three-part World Deception is Revealed

The Physical Elements of Babylon Identified

The Significance of the Construct to the Learner

Avoiding Three Substitutions of Babylon

Avoiding Babylonian Works

7. Summery and Conclusions

Summery

Conclusion

Appendices

I. Letter of Consent (Dr. S. Douglas Waterhouse)

II. Is the Woman of Revelation 17 a Hellenistic Tyche Figure?

III. The Motif of Three Parts As Kingdom Imagery

IV. The Tripart Kingdom As Expressed In the Heraldic Coat of Arms Of Great Britain (The Royal Arms)

V. The Chiastic Structure of the Book of Revelation

VI. Does the Red Serpent Dragon of Rev 12:9 Reappear In Alternate Form As the Sea of Rev 13:17

VII. Why was Darius the Mede Expunged From History?

VIII. The Complete Everlasting Gospel Message Includes Avoiding Physical Death

References

About the Author

LIST OF FIGURES

1. The Role of Biblical Hermeneutics

2. The Kingdom of God, Gen 1 v. s. the Kingdom of the

Lord God, Gen. 2

3. The Four Part Heavenly Deity versus the Three Part Earthly Trinity

4. The Four-part Deity Versus the Trinity in Armageddon. (Rev. 16:19)

5. Understanding the Imagery of Revelation 17

6. The Waterhouse Construct of the Three Parts of Babylon

7. The Time Frame Setting of Rev 13 and 17

8. A Description of Five Geographic Relationships

in Rev. 13 and 17

9. Selected Biblical Elements of Babylonian Imagery

10. The Central Imagery Picture of Revelation 17

11. A Map of the City of Babylon

12. A Chiasm of Historical Media and Persia

13. The Central Imagery Picture of Rev. 13

14. Comparing Paired Chapters 13/14 to 17/18

15. Genesis 1-2 in Chiasm to Rev. Pairs

16. The Angelic Connections and Historical Roots

between Rev. 14 and 18

17. Biblical Connections and Historical Roots between 13 and 17

18. The Exclusive Water Tiered Relationship

19. The Land Tiered Geographical Relationship

20. Creating The Double Tiered City/Nation Apostasy

21. The Land/Water Distinction, (Rev. 13)

22. The Land/Water Distinction (Rev. 17)

23. Six Relational Patterns (Same patterns, different imageries)

24. The Water Support and the Dual Land-Water Support

25. The Indirect-Support Pattern & the Land/Water Distinction Pattern

26. The Four Imagery Clusters of Babylon

27. Viewing the Scarlet Beast through the Substitution Principle

28. The Water Chiasm of Rev. 17

29. The Scarlet Beast & The Land/Water Distinction

30. The Four Distinctive Clusters

31. Fig. 31, Sea (Flood) Symbol of Revelation

32. The City of Babylon Falls into 3 Parts, Rev 16:19

33. Three Falls of Babylon, (Type to Antitype)

PREFACE

According to the Word of God humanity (i.e., the saints) are urged to come out of Great Babylon. Thus it is written, 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.’ (Rev. 18:4). For humanity, (the saints) to follow this Divine instruction the nature and character of the three parts of Babylon must be known according to the Word of God so that Babylon can be avoided. Unveiling the three parts of Babylon (spoken of in Revelation 16:19) according to the Word of God is critical for humanity if they are to successfully exit the Babylonian system. Therefore, this second study (the second volume in the Unveiling Series) is a biblical study for identifying the three parts of Babylon based upon biblical hermeneutics.

The first study (in the Unveiling Series) titled, Unveiling Lord God Satan: Genesis 1-3 identifies the Lord God of Gen. 2-3 as Satan who made the earth and heavens by changing the perfect creation of the heavens and earth¹ by the Creator God spoken out of nothing (Psalm 33:9) in Gen. 1. In Gen. 2:4 these two distinct kingdoms are portrayed in a chiastic relationship existing side to side in one verse. This first study of the Unveiling Series focused on these two creators (God and the Lord God) and their distinctive creations, the creation of heavens and earth spoken into existence by God, (Ps. 148:5) versus the making of the earth and heavens, by the Lord God (Gen. 2:4). The study then shifts to an analysis of the beginnings of the making of the earth and heavens by the Lord God as recorded in the biblical text (Gen. 2:4). Here this first study re-evaluates the Garden of Eden (Gen. 2:8-9) and the fall of man (Gen. 3) according to the biblical text. Finally, the character of Satan (the Lord God) is compared to the character of God as revealed through Christ. Throughout the entire first study the central issue is biblically recognizing the Lord God of Gen. 2-3 as Satan masquerading as a God to mankind. Based on a biblical hermeneutical approach, Satan is not the serpent in Genesis three, which spoke the truth (consider Numbers 21:4-9), but the Lord God deceiving mankind into thinking he is God, (Is. 14:13-15). Instead of reflecting perfection like the Creator God in Gen. 1:31, the Lord God of Gen. 2, manifests imperfection when he made changes to the first creation. The Lord God created a not good situation (Gen. 2:18) in creating Adam but not Eve, (Gen. 2:7-8,) something which he had to fix later, (Gen 2:18, 21-23). The Creator God of Gen. 1 did not make this mistake (consider Gen. 1:26-27). Further imperfections made by the Lord God are revealed through changes made to the perfect creation of heaven and earth which the Creator God created in Gen. 1. In Gen. 2:5 the Lord God replaced the mist covering the earth with rain (compare Gen. 2:5 to Gen 2:6). The great flood as the first rain introduced to the earth by the Lord God², wiped out all humanity except for eight, (Gen.6:17). Also consider where the Lord God caused man to till the earth, (Gen. 2:5, 15 and Gen. 3:17-19) and where the Lord God changed the diet given to humanity by God by adding herbs (plants) to the fruit and seed diet (Compare Gen. 3:18 to Gen. 1:29 and consider Gen. 3:19). Here in Genesis chapters 2 and 3, the correct identification of the Lord God as Satan is absolutely crucial for interpreting later biblical events and the understanding of Scripture in general.

This second study (in the Unveiling Series) titled Unveiling Three Parts of Babylon, (Rev. 16:19) Exposing the Kingdom of Satan continues the biblical exposure of the kingdom of the earth and heavens through the biblical Babylonian imagery of the Old and New Testaments. Whereas in the first study, in Gen. 2:4a, the creation of the heavens and earth by God was portrayed alongside the making of the earth and heavens by the Lord God, now, in this second study of the unveiling series, they are biblically observed in conflict with each other. This can be seen biblically through the Babylonian imagery found in Scriptures which conflicts with the kingdom of God throughout the Scriptures. Here the first study, which identifies the Lord God of Gen. 2-3 as Satan, and the exposure of the earth and heavens made by the Lord God (Genesis 2:4b) as the kingdom of Satan, provides the backdrop for this second study in the unveiling series where the three parts of the mystical Satanic kingdom are biblically unveiled through the Babylonian imagery found in Scripture.³

This second study also focuses on the eventual demise of the Satanic kingdom of earth and heaven (Rev. 20:11) which Inspiration portrayed biblically through the imagery of the fall of the historical kingdom/city of Babylon.⁴ More specifically this study is primarily concerned with biblically exposing more fully the kingdom of earth and heaven, i.e., the three parts of the Satanic mystical Babylonian Kingdom (Rev. 16:19a) which dominates the world during the last days of sin. According to Scripture the great city falls into three parts (Rev. 16:19) during the sixth plague when the mystical Euphrates is dried up (Rev. 16:12). Through a biblical understanding of the three-part kingdom of Satan, all humanity will be better equipped through the Scriptures to exit all three parts of the Babylonian Kingdom of earth and heaven (Rev. 18:4; Gen. 2:4b) as they enter in the kingdom of heaven and earth created by God, (Gen.1:1) and which is recreated by God in Rev. 21:1.

A third study in the Unveiling Series titled Unveiling Three Froglike Spirits, (Rev. 16:13-14): Exposing Armageddon, yet to be published, covers selected false doctrines of the three unclean spirits which come out of the mouth of the red dragon (Satan, Rev. 12:3, 9), the beast (the leopard-like beast, Rev. 13:1-10), and the false prophet (the lamblike beast, Rev. 13:11-14) which conflict with the Everlasting Gospel taught by Christ (John 12: 49-50, Rev. 14:6). These false doctrines taught by the red dragon, the beast and the false prophet gather the world to the battle of Armageddon (Rev. 16:13-14, 19:19) against the pure life-giving Words of Christ (Prov. 8:6-11), the life-giving sword, (Rev. 19:15) coming out of the mouth of Christ (John 6:63). Here it is important to note that we see Armageddon as a spoken word of life power (John 6:63, Prov. 4: 13, 20-22) by Christ in polemic conflict with the spoken words of death power (Prov. 18:7-8) by the dragon, the beast and the false prophet (John 7:7). The words spoken by Christ bring life (Prov. 4:13, 20-22, John 6:58) to mankind whereas the words of the dragon, the beast and the false prophet brings physical death (Prov. 12:18-19) to mankind. Here, the mystery of iniquity (1st Tim.: 3:16; 2nd Th. 2:7) is addressed more fully through the Scriptures. The word of God through Christ (John 12:49-50), overcomes the power of death spoken through the mouths of the dragon, beast and false prophet. The everlasting gospel of life, becomes the sword of life, spoken through the mouth of Christ (John 6:63, 12:49-50 and Rev. 19:15) which ultimately apposes and destroys the powers of death. It is a polemic conflict spoken (Prov. 18:21; 12:18-19) which started ln heaven (Isa 14:12-15, Ezek. 28:14-15) which has life and death ramifications (Jer. 51:35; Rev. 18:24) for all humanity seeking to make a perpetual life covenant, (Jer. 50:5b,) with the Heavenly Father. Here it is important to see Christ as the source of life not death (John 6:47-51). Christ’s words spoken act as a sword which smites the powers of death in the world while bringing life to the world (John 6:40, 58, 63).

The unpublished works of S. Douglas Waterhouse are foundational materials for this second study in the Unveiling Series. Waterhouse’s identification of the three supportive parts of Babylon, (Rev. 16:19), is considered by this study as unique, profound, and a major contribution in the advancement of biblical eschatological understanding. This study will seek to establish biblically the three-part construct identified by Waterhouse by identifying the biblical hermeneutical foundations which identify the three supportive parts of the great city of Babylon within Scripture.

Thus, a primary focus of this study is to establish the Waterhouse identification of the three parts on a solid biblical hermeneutical foundation, thereby establishing the biblical validity of the Waterhouse interpretation of the three supportive parts of Babylon. Here this writer is primarily concerned with the biblical validity of the interpretation given by Waterhouse, especially in light of the great eschatological importance of the topic. This study will seek to prove that the Waterhouse interpretation of the three supporting parts of the great city of Babylon (Rev. 16:19) is biblical and should be accepted by all humanity. Without such biblical validity based on biblical hermeneutics, this study as well as the Waterhouse construct would be of no value.

The works of Dr. Kenneth A. Strand, most notably his chiastic structure of the book of Revelation, were a major contribution. I consider his conceptual discovery of biblical chiasms a major advancement in biblical hermeneutics. As biblical contextual structures, chiasms can be found throughout Scripture relating unknown imageries, and unknown content matter to more well-known imageries and content. According to Strand, chiastic structures establish distinctions as well as similarities. Chiasms are formed with an a-b order in the upper half and a reverse b-a ordering in the lower half of the chiasm. The upper half of the chiasm is not the same as the lower half of the chiasm. My central position in this book is this contrasting structural nature in each chiasm can be seen in them all. Further, in my many years of association with Dr. Strand before his death, he was a mentor and tremendous supporter of my dissertation on teaching The Three Parts of Babylon. His overall, tremendous influence and support of this work is most appreciated.

The works of Dr. Hans K. LaRondelle, especially as related to biblical hermeneutics governing eschatology, form a strong hermeneutical foundation of this study. I further owe my early foundational theological training to Dr. LaRondelle, who taught me the great significance of biblical eschatological hermeneutics when seeking to interpret eschatological (prophetic) sections of Scripture. LaRondelle was biblically identifying eschatological hermeneutics which governed prophetic interpretation. For him Scripture through biblical hermeneutics and not history should interpret Scriptural prophecy. Like LaRondelle, this second study recognizes the tremendous significance of the historical and current events, but places a priority upon biblical eschatological (prophetic) hermeneutics when interpreting prophecy. Without a firm rooting in biblical eschatological hermeneutics, this study would have no value.

Here I must mention a tremendous work by George E. Vandamen, Showdown at Armageddon which developed the historical controversy over biblical hermeneutics during the Reformation period (the sola scriptura principle) during the Martin Luther historical period and the rise of the three main interpretive schools of thought, (i.e., the Preterists, the Futurists and the Historicists schools). Vandamen compares these schools of thought and shows the connections or lack thereof between the Protestant Reformation and the three schools. This second study reflects heavily upon the positions taken by Vandamen by utilizing primarily the historicist biblical hermeneutical approach of the Protestant Reformation in identifying the three supportive parts of Babylon.

The works of Dr. Roy Naden, especially his usage of clusters of spiritual gifts which carried over into clusters of imageries found in Revelation 13 and 17. Here it is important to note that the concept of clusters of imageries was stumbled upon through the biblical hermeneutical analysis of Revelation 13 and 17. However the previous exposure to the concept of clusters in Dr. Naden’s spiritual gift classes taught at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan helped to solidify in my mind the hermeneutical cluster analysis of the imageries of the three parts of Babylon found in Rev. 13 and 17, for which I am very, very grateful.

The combined efforts of my doctoral committee consisting of Dr. George Akers, Dr. John Baldwin, Dr. John Youngberg and Dr. S. Douglas Waterhouse as a whole were extremely helpful in developing the teaching of the three parts of Babylon to the dissertation level. This study draws heavily from their combined efforts, thereby owing a great debt to their dedication and efforts in developing this topic into a coherent dissertation form and now later, this book form.

As a reader, Richard Figuerdo has been a great support in this project. His positive suggestions as well as his friendship and moral support in this project has been most critical in the completion of this work.

As a reader and confidant, Roger Aasen has been a great support in this work as well. Roger’s friendship and steady support as well as financial help are most appreciated. Such writing can be a very lonely experience, thus the need for a firm companion and friend.

Included in this study are a number of figures. These figures are included for the reader in order to help visually in pin-pointing the major points being discussed within this study. By attempting to summarize on one page major concepts of this study, it is hoped that the reader can more explicitly see the biblical strength and the weaknesses of the various topics being discussed.

The reader is encouraged to read the various footnotes placed at the bottom of each page. These footnotes are not just designed to reinforce the main text. They are also designed to broaden and expand specific points discussed within the main text while offering the reader outside sources to read that would expand upon the concepts being considered. Further, fresh avenues of study are given within the footnotes which due to the limitation of space and time are not developed in this study. Here these avenues, as points of lights, are given to the reader to encourage further study.

Also, within the footnotes, further analysis or input from other writers, relating to the topic being discussed, are presented. By exposure to many different writers within the footnotes, the reader is made aware of the multitude of scholars and their breadth of study as well as this writer’s indebtedness to the extensive work of others. Also biblical references are given which are considered foundational to the topic. Not to read and analyze these footnotes is to miss a major portion of this study.

In this study, many sources have been included, primarily specific points coinciding with the direction of this study. The purpose here is to show many of the ideas discussed in this work have been previously touched upon by others. These sources may not necessarily be in full or even partial agreement with the main thrust of this study. However, exposure to many different writers within the footnotes and appendices, makes the reader aware of the multitude of scholars and the breadth of this study as well as this writer’s indebtedness to the extensive work of others.

I wish to emphasize this study is not polemic in nature and does not critique any sources used by this study. Instead, this work continues to build its case for identifying and teaching the three parts of Babylon (Rev. 16:19) consistent with the hermeneutical and biblical evidences enumerated in this study.

To facilitate communication, the reader is encouraged to use the King James Version (KJV) of the Scriptures. Though many fine translations currently exist, this study utilizes the King James Version of Scripture. In order to avoid language barriers and miscommunication when viewing the various biblical concepts being discussed within this study, it seems advisable that the same translation be utilized by both the writer and the reader, such that ideas similarly viewed within this particular study can be more readily understood. This in no way diminishes the fact that cross references with other solid translation (i.e. the Standard American Bible, Jerusalem Bible, RSV Bible, New International Version and the New World Bible Translation among others) can be most helpful as well.

Finally, and most important of all, the time spent independently studying the Word of God cannot be overestimated (Prov. 5:15-17). Through the Word of God and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the heavenly Father through His Son has revealed to us the entire plan of salvation along with the great deception of Satan (Prov. 8:17). Here the Living Word, Jesus Christ, helps us to find the proper understanding of issues vital to our daily walk out of the death dealing deceptive pathways (Prov. 14:27) laid by Satan. Instead of deception, Jesus leads us into the everlasting path of the gospel of life (John 6:47-51, 57-58; 8:51; 11:25-26) and the inheritance which our heavenly Father has ordained we all have (Prov. 8:6-11, 18-21). Without the leading of Christ, the Living Word, and the Holy Spirit, our walk would be impossible. With their guidance it is assured, (Prov. 4:10-12, 20-22; 8:11; 11:4, 19; 12:28).

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION: FOUNDATIONS FOR UNDERSTANDING

And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

Revelation 14:8

In the field of Christianity, a renewed interest has arisen in the understanding of the iconographic imagery within Revelation as it relates to Babylon.⁵ According to Were,

Two cities in the book of Revelation stand out in bold relief as centers of two opposing powers: the cities Jerusalem and Babylon …. A thorough understanding of the imagery employed concerning Jerusalem and Babylon is essential to an understanding of the book of Revelation. Babylon is set in opposition to Jerusalem…. Thus the Lord emphasizes the fall of Babylon in connection with His last day Message.⁶

In this study, Babylon⁷ is identified with the world civilization of man apart from God.⁸ It is in this context of binary opposition to Jerusalem, symbol of Christ’s kingdom (the Church) that the identity of Babylon stands forth.⁹ In apocalyptic symbolism, Babylon is a figurative designation for the kingdom of Satan. Both Jerusalem and Babylon, personified as Women (one pure, the other fallen), are not defined by literal geographical or temporal boundaries,¹⁰ but designated as a kingdom in both Rev. 1:6 and 5:10, whose citizens are defined by their beliefs (Gal. 4:25-26). Babylon, termed City of Chaos (Isa. 24:10), is composed of worldlings, that is, children of the devil (1 John 3:1,10). In contrast, Christ’s followers are not of the world, against whom the world is at enmity (John 15:18-19). Here, Babylon, as the kingdom of Satan, also refers to the various cultural elements (i.e., the social, economic, political, scientific, and medical elements)¹¹ along with all the created artifacts which, due to their mixture of good and evil either in their creation or in their use, bring destruction to the creation of God.¹²

An increasing amount of literature regarding apocalyptic Babylon seeks to establish the relevancy of this biblical imagery to the modern world. Indeed, Rev. is not just future truth but present truth (Prov. 22:10). Much has been written on Rev 13, where the Leopard-like Beast (vss. 1 and 2) and the Lamblike Beast (vss11-12) are portrayed, and on the Harlot imagery found in Rev. 17:1-6. Considerably less has been written on the Scarlet Beast imagery of Rev. 17:3.

In the field of religious education, the theologian and the religious educator are confronted with the growing concern regarding the relevancy of this material to the present age.¹³ Thus, awareness on the part of some religious educators is increasing to understand this apocalyptic imagery of Babylon and to teach it.¹⁴ Here the educator is confronted with developing a correct biblical rooted theological content,¹⁵ while at the same time teaching the Babylonian imagery according to its biblical hermeneutical roots.¹⁶

THE PROBLEM

A major difficulty facing all Christianity today is how to obey the Word of God where it is written, "Come out of her (apocalyptic Babylon), that ye be not partakers of her sins,¹⁷ and that ye receive not of her plagues."¹⁸ The problem seems to be that there is a lack of consensus among Christian scholars as to the identity of apocalyptic Babylon,¹⁹ and what its three parts are.²⁰ Contributing to this general confusion is the reality that no biblical hermeneutical approach seems to have been identified that would lay a biblical hermeneutical foundation for theologically interpreting apocalyptic Babylon or its three parts.

Coupled with the need to theologically identify the three parts of Babylon is the need to establish a biblically sound hermeneutical foundation for teaching the three parts of Babylon from a Biblical perspective. What is needed is a teaching strategy which is hermeneutical for teaching the three parts. Here a teaching strategy is defined differently from an inductive or deductive approach or teaching method. Rather, it is seen as a broad instructional framework through which a variety of more specific religious content can be taught concerning the larger Babylonian imagery setting. No attempt is made here to restrict content material or to provide a syllabus or a specific plan for instruction. Here, the need for a biblical teaching strategy can be identified in four different ways within the present religious educational field.²¹

First, a considerable divergence of opinion exists among theologians and religious educators regarding the relationship of key imageries depicted within the Babylonian setting of Rev. 13 and 17.²²

Second, a considerable divergence of opinion exists among theologians and religious educators regarding the identity of the Great City imagery²³ referred to in Rev. 16:19 (where the Great City splits into three parts).²⁴

Third, a systematic, sequential, step-by-step teaching approach is needed for teaching hermeneutically the Babylonian imagery within the historicist tradition.²⁵ Such an approach will facilitate a logical, biblical, and hermeneutical thought process which will enhance the systematic teaching of the three part imagery and enhance comprehension and learning.

Fourth, an understanding of the relevancy of the imagery²⁶ of the three parts of Babylon within the religious educational framework of the modern world is a central issue.²⁷ We are dealing with present truth (Rev. 22:10). For the learner, it is a question of the value.²⁸ Christians achieving a correct biblically based understanding of the three parts would be more capable of separating from the Babylonian system (Rev. 18:4) that biblically dominates the world in the last days of sin. Here religious education needs to be pragmatic.²⁹

Therefore, while this study does present a biblically based teaching strategy it is primarily concerned with establishing a theological hermeneutically based identification of the three parts of Babylon³⁰ within the historicist tradition of present truth.³¹

THE PURPOSE

This study seeks to establish, within the historicist school of interpretation,³² the imagery of the Scarlet, Leopard-like, and Lamblike Beasts and their counterparts of Rev. 17 and 13 as the three parts of Babylon through a biblical hermeneutical approach.³³

THE DELIMITATIONS OF THIS STUDY

Due to the vast amount of available material, certain delimitations are made. They are as follows:

1. The study is focusing primarily on presenting a hermeneutically sound biblical interpretation of the imagery of Babylon and its three parts while at the same time developing a hermeneutically sound teaching strategy within the historicist school of interpretation.³⁴ However, writers from the other schools of thought (i.e., the preterist and futurist³⁵) frequently are used where they contribute to a better understanding of the historicist approach.

2. No attempt is made to exegete³⁶ individual texts. Texts are used only to establish their relational significance to other biblical texts³⁷ in order to develop an interpretation and to provide a teaching strategy of the three parts.

3. This study does not define the seven heads of the Scarlet Beast of Rev. 17:3. Only the distinction between the Scarlet Beast and the Leopard-like beast of Rev. 13:1 is developed.³⁸

4. Since this study focuses on Rev. 13 and 17, where all three parts of Babylon are depicted, Rev. 12 (with its seven headed dragon) is, for purposes of clarity, excluded