Great question, and honestly, this is one of the most common objections raised by anti-Preterists. It does seem difficult at first to connect the “internationally popular Babylon/harlot” in Revelation with Jerusalem. But when we carefully examine the biblical and historical context, the description actually aligns precisely with first-century Jerusalem.
Let me break it down into three key points:
1. “Kings of the Earth” = Rulers of the Land
The Greek word for “earth” in Revelation (ge) doesn’t always mean the entire planet. Often, it refers specifically to “the land”—especially the land of Israel (see Matt. 2:6; Luke 21:23). So when Revelation speaks of “the kings of the earth,” it can be understood as referring to rulers connected to the Roman Empire in relation to Judea. Jerusalem was the religious and political center of the Jewish world and was widely known throughout the empire due to the global dispersion of the Jewish people.
2. Jerusalem’s “Fornication” Was with Kings and Nations
The Old Testament repeatedly describes Israel as a harlot—not just for idolatry, but for forming ungodly alliances with pagan nations.
- Isaiah 1:21: “The faithful city has become a harlot!”
- Ezekiel 16 & 23 portray Jerusalem as committing harlotry with Assyria, Egypt, and Babylon.
By the first century, this pattern continued. Who was Israel’s partner then? Rome.
- The Jewish leaders declared: “We have no king but Caesar” (John 19:15).
- They conspired with Rome to crucify Jesus.
- They used Roman authority to persecute the early church (see Acts).
So yes, Jerusalem did commit fornication with the kings of the earth—exactly what Revelation 17 describes.
3. Jerusalem Was “Internationally Influential.”
You might say, “But Pastor, Jerusalem wasn’t famous like Rome or Babylon.” True—it wasn’t an imperial capital. But its religious influence was enormous.
- Jews were scattered across the empire (Acts 2:5–11), and Jerusalem was their spiritual headquarters. Every nation under heaven recognized it as the center of Jewish worship.
- Roman historians like Tacitus and Josephus note how emperors had to navigate Jewish sensitivities carefully—proof of Jerusalem’s international status.
- Revelation 11:8 calls it “the great city where their Lord was crucified”—clearly referring to Jerusalem. Later, this same city is called “Babylon the Great.”
Conclusion
The objection about “international popularity” only holds if we think in modern terms—like Hollywood or Washington, D.C. But biblically and historically, first-century Jerusalem was:
- Central to religious life,
- Politically entangled with Rome,
- Spiritually adulterous,
- And internationally recognized through the Jewish diaspora and Roman diplomacy.
That’s why Partial Preterists identify Babylon/harlot as Jerusalem, not pagan Rome. Rome did persecute Christians, yes—but only Jerusalem can be called “the city where the Lord was crucified” (Rev. 11:8).
So, the description fits perfectly. Israel committed spiritual adultery with Rome, held global religious influence, and was ultimately judged in AD 70—just as Revelation foretells.
Babylon the Great: Rome vs. Jerusalem
| Description in Revelation | Fits Rome? | Fits Jerusalem? |
|---|---|---|
| “The great city where their Lord was crucified” (Rev. 11:8) | ❌ Rome never crucified Jesus. | ✅ Only Jerusalem fits. |
| Called a harlot, committing fornication with kings (Rev. 17:2) | ❌ Rome was pagan, not a covenant people (can’t be a harlot). | ✅ Jerusalem = covenant wife turned harlot (Isa. 1:21; Ezek. 16, 23). |
| Drunk with the blood of prophets and saints (Rev. 17:6; 18:24)* | ❌ Rome killed Christians, but not the OT prophets. | ✅ Jesus Himself said: “It cannot be that a prophet should perish outside Jerusalem” (Luke 13:33). |
| Had influence over nations/kings (Rev. 17:2, 18) | ✅ Rome was a political power. | ✅ Jerusalem had global religious influence via Jewish diaspora; Rome even catered to Jewish sensitivities. |
| Fell in fiery judgment, never to rise again (Rev. 18:8, 21) | ❌ Rome wasn’t destroyed in the 1st century. | ✅ Jerusalem was destroyed in AD 70 by fire and never restored as the covenant city. |
| Merchants and nations mourned her fall (Rev. 18:11-19) | ✅ Rome was an economic power. | ✅ Josephus records nations mourning Jerusalem’s fall; Jews worldwide devastated. |
| Dressed in purple, scarlet, and gold (Rev. 17:4; 18:16) | ✅ Rome was rich. | ✅ These were exactly the colors of the High Priest’s garments (Exod. 28:5–6). |
| Called “Babylon the Great” (Rev. 17:5) | ✅ Pagan city name fits. | ✅ OT often called Jerusalem “Sodom,” “Egypt,” and “Babylon” when apostate (Isa. 1:10; Jer. 3:3; Rev. 11:8). |
Summary:
Rome fits in some ways (political/economic power), but Jerusalem matches ALL the covenantal and prophetic details.
Only Jerusalem was the covenant harlot, only Jerusalem killed the prophets and the Lord, and only Jerusalem was destroyed in fiery judgment in AD 70 — exactly what John foresaw.
Former Adventists Philippines
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