Babylon, as depicted in Revelation 17 and 18, symbolizes a pervasive and seductive system of evil, established in opposition to God's purpose. This system, named Babylon the Great, is not a physical nation or city today, for God ensured the ancient city and nation of Babylon no longer exist. Yet, its spirit endures, infecting every person who comes into contact with it, save for Jesus Christ, Who alone resisted its deadly allure. This spiritual Babylon represents the world apart from God, driven by false values, loves, and knowledge, appealing to carnal desires, ambition, and the senses. The founding of Babylon, as seen in Genesis 11, emerged shortly after the Flood through Nimrod, a descendant of Noah, revealing a pattern of city-building for safety and control, much like Cain's earlier actions. These cities symbolized fortified areas to protect against external threats while trapping and controlling those within, driven by desires for power and renown. Babylon's influence grew over centuries, becoming a significant power by the time of Jeremiah's prophecies around 586 BC, with its fall prophesied for 539 BC. Even now, thousands of years later, God uses the same symbolism to warn of Babylon's enduring impact on end-time events. God counsels His people to flee from Babylon's ways, as seen throughout history from Cain to the interactions with Israel in the prophecies of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. Babylon's spirit, perpetuated by satan, the constant deceiver, reflects his mind and way of life, continuously enticing humanity with lusts of the flesh, eyes, and pride of life. The harlot woman of Revelation embodies this world system, intoxicating and enslaving those who partake of her wine, eroding spiritual powers and leading to immoral judgments. God portrays Babylon as a prostitute, committing spiritual fornication with governmental and business leaders, corrupting them and, in turn, influencing the people to follow their faithless examples. This self-centered culture promotes over-indulgence and luxury, fostering an attitude of needing no God, as seen in nations rejecting Him for wealth and comfort. The prophecy in Psalm 2 indicates a conspiracy among rulers against God's purpose, forming the Beast of Revelation, an alliance of nations guided by Babylon's spirit, aiming to establish a new world order that enslaves mankind until Christ returns.

God urgently commands us to come out of Babylon, lest we receive of her sins, for impending doom awaits her. The punishment prophesied to fall on Babylon is horrific, with total destruction in her future. We are commanded to come out, just as Israel came out of Egypt, a type of this sinful world, during the Days of Unleavened Bread. The church, a spiritual body scattered worldwide, must heed this call wherever its members are located. The question remains: come out of where? Since the church is not confined to one nation, and Babylon is named as a great city in Revelation, it is unclear if this refers to a literal location or if God uses the ancient city of Babylon as a point of reference for something broader. The urgent warning to come out of her serves as a heads-up from God to escape while it is still possible, as living conditions are destined to worsen significantly. Yet, we do not know precisely where modern Babylon is located, nor where to relocate. There is no God-assigned place universally agreed upon as a safe haven, and fleeing to another area might leave us worse off than remaining where we are. History shows times when the church had to move to preserve lives, such as the first-century church fleeing Jerusalem to Pella or remnants of the true church seeking safety in mountainous areas during the Middle Ages. Given this unanswerable reality, the present meaning of "Come out of her, My people" is understood as spiritual, urging us to turn from Babylon's prideful, self-centered way of life and abandon the idolatrous and immoral beliefs of the surrounding culture, regardless of our earthly location. Until God clearly signals that "come out" means a physical departure, we are to stay put, preparing spiritually to flee if it is His will. He will ensure we reach a place of safety if that time comes. Whether chosen to stay or to flee, we must be ready for either, trusting that He will supply our needs for whatever we must endure. The timing of these events, as seen in Revelation 17 and 18, is immediately before Christ's return, planned and directed by God Himself, who knows the end from the beginning. Thus, we do not know when or where to flee, as all the facts are not yet in, and we must remain where we are, even as conditions grow worse, until everything is in place as God has determined.

Babylon, though destroyed as a nation in 539 BC by the Medes and Persians, continues to exert a profound spiritual and cultural influence. God warns in both Jeremiah 51 and Revelation 17 and 18 to flee from Babylon, emphasizing the urgency to escape its pervasive impact. This influence is not tied to a physical nation but exists as a way of life embedded in our minds, character, entertainment, and banking systems, carried with us wherever we go unless we actively come out of it. God commands us to distance ourselves as much as possible from this corrupting spirit, which has impressed its vile ways upon us through centuries of cultural infiltration. Revelation 18:8 foretells Babylon's disastrous end, with plagues, death, mourning, and famine striking in a single day, utterly burning it with fire. Yet, God mercifully warns those in the church to get out to avoid suffering these same plagues. This escape involves spiritual preparation and overcoming the remnants of Babylon's influence, as the prophecy does not clearly indicate a physical location or timing for departure. We must remain vigilant and ready, diligently working to reject the deceptive allure of this cultural system. Babylon's spirit, symbolized as a woman riding the beast, represents a multinational, anti-God way of life dominating the Western world, including nations like the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and Israel. This system, a syncretization of Babylonian and Israelite ways, controls through gentle persuasion and, where necessary, coercive power, ensnaring citizens into bondage. God urges us to escape this intoxicating influence, which drugs us spiritually, deadening our perspective and rendering us helpless to its allure, so that we may align with His purpose and avoid the disastrous fate awaiting Babylon.

In the course of human history, the influence of Babylon has been a persistent source of evil, beginning not in its original form but in the Garden of Eden through Adam and Eve's disbelief under satan's sway. This alien spirit spread through generations, but it was in Babylon, first under Nimrod and later under Nebuchadnezzar, that its anti-God concepts were refined and imposed on concentrated masses, forcibly extended to others. God dealt with these early Babylons decisively, scattering the first by confounding their communication and using the Medo-Persian Empire to overthrow the second, though their influence remained somewhat localized. Now, in the prophesied Last Days, Babylon emerges again with a worldwide reach, wielding dominant armies, economic and educational systems, entrenched religions, and powerful mass communication networks. These networks disseminate its influence into the minds of men, always opposing the Creator and His people. Revelation 18 urgently warns to take action against this pervasive force, as Babylon's communication—through visible examples of misguided conduct and subtle, inaudible spiritual influences from its invisible leader, the prince of the power of the air, and his demonic hordes—poses a constant threat. God admonishes His people to come out of Babylon, yet there is no physical escape from its omnipresent influence, spread through satan's powers of communication. The battle to resist is primarily internal, fought right where one lives and conducts life. God assures that what He commands can be done; coming out of Babylon is not a physical departure from a geographical area but a spiritual and psychological rejection of its influence. While changing physical location, such as moving from cities—depicted as concentrated centers of evil—to rural areas may help, the stain of Babylon can be carried anywhere. Even in less concentrated doses, its influence can still invade through modern media like the Internet and television. God portrays Babylon as a dangerous place, inhabited by predators symbolized as unclean and hateful birds, reflecting disgusting and revolting human activities. Though its influence spreads globally, its core is depicted as a single city, the very generator and distributor of all evil on earth. The call to come out of Babylon remains a critical spiritual imperative, achievable through steadfast trust and discipline, as God never assigns an impossible task.

Babylon, as a symbol of a worldwide anti-God system, surrounds us with its pervasive influence in every aspect of life—religion, education, commerce, military, government, agriculture, entertainment, and industry. It is a deadly enemy, originating from the mind of satan the devil, designed to entrap and conform humanity to its image through deception. God, in His mercy, enables us to see the contrast between this corrupt system and the divine plan He will establish through Jesus Christ at His return. It is essential to resist Babylon's influence, as it is crucial to our growth, well-being, and success as children of God. The foundation of Babylon, seen in the early chapters of Genesis, reveals its rebellious nature through figures like Nimrod, a mighty man and rebel who hunted men, establishing a violent and enslaving system. Babel, the beginning of Nimrod's kingdom, was named to signify a "Gate of God," reflecting the arrogant ambition to create a higher way of life in defiance of God's command to spread across the earth. This rebellion, driven by pride and the desire for empire, led to the construction of a tower symbolizing human aspirations to invade God's realm, a project ultimately thwarted by God's intervention through the confusion of languages. In the end-time, as described in Revelation 18, Babylon reaches its greatest influence, a powerful and attractive system appealing to human ambition, luxury, and pride. God urges us to come out of Babylon, not by physically escaping, for there is nowhere to run from its global reach, but by spiritually resisting its pull. This coming out involves adopting different attitudes and behaviors, refusing to be molded by its beguiling sins of idolatry, self-glorification, self-sufficiency, complacency, reliance on wealth, avoidance of suffering, and violence against life. Babylon's danger lies in its seductive appeal to physical gratification and spiritual enlightenment, creating an environment perfect for distraction and complacency, fostering spiritual harlotry or Laodiceanism. This spiritual disease leads to faithlessness, pride, and a refusal to suffer for principle, compromising obedience to God. God commands us to face this enemy individually, preparing within Babylon by not conforming to its anti-God image, recognizing that He rules sovereignly, and His purpose will stand against all rebellion.

Despite living comfortably in the world, we are urged by God to come out of Babylon, a system that stands in opposition to His purpose. Babylon, as seen in Genesis 11:1-9, represents a significant stage of rebellion against God, where people sought to make a name for themselves and unify in defiance of His command to scatter and fill the earth. God intervened strongly, scattering them to slow down the development of this disastrous system, indicating His deep displeasure with their serious sins. Yet, Babylon continued to grow over time, showing elements that could undermine God's purpose if left unchecked. In Revelation 18:2-4, Babylon is depicted as a powerful and attractive system at the end time, appealing to the senses and human ambition for preeminence and recognition. Though God is not against power, attractiveness, or wealth, He commands us to come out of Babylon spiritually, to avoid being molded or enslaved by its allure. This coming out is not a physical withdrawal but a transformation in attitudes and worldview, living differently within the world without being captivated by its beauty, power, or luxury. Babylon's web of sin includes arrogant pride, luxury, and avoidance of suffering, leading to self-sufficiency and compromise with principle to escape pain. Its attractiveness and wealth intoxicate, impairing judgment and deceiving individuals into believing they are enhanced by partaking in it, while in reality, it distorts their ability to function as God designed. Babylon, as a fountainhead of corrupt instruction, cannot produce good fruit, and God finds it impossible to reform, choosing instead to destroy it due to its inherent corruption. The system of Babylon, evident in various societal segments from political leaders to entertainers, affects all, and its end will leave those who refuse to separate from it with nothing, sharing in God's judgment. God warns us to come out of Babylon lest we share in her penalties, emphasizing the urgency of spiritual separation from a system that opposes Him, as evidenced by its violence against His ambassadors and its inability to produce eternal or abundant life. Babylon's foundation lies in disbelief and rejection of God's revelation, rooted in human experience and reason rather than trust in Him. It cannot be straightened out, and each generation compounds its problems, driven by the same spirit of self-orientation, captivation by splendor, and arrogant ambition. History proves Babylon's fruit to be bad, unable to solve the deep issues of anxiety, hopelessness, war, and violence, revealing its corrupt nature. Thus, God forces a choice upon us to reject Babylon's way, which is passing away, and to choose life aligned with His purpose, ensuring that we live in a manner that prepares us for His Kingdom.

God's command in Revelation 18:4 urges us to come out of Babylon to avoid receiving her plagues. While Babylon represents a worldwide system, making physical escape impossible, we are called to separate ourselves spiritually by rejecting its pervasive influence. This influence is rooted in the beliefs, values, and practices of the cultures we are born into, absorbed effortlessly from childhood through family and community interactions, much like the language we learn without question. These cultural elements become deeply ingrained, binding us in ways that are hard to break even after God's calling, as they often conflict with our relationship with Him. The source of much of this worldly influence is satan, who has deceived the entire world, acting as the god of this age and communicating destructive values through various means, including our five senses and both formal and informal instruction in homes, schools, and beyond. This communication shapes our attitudes and character, forming the course of this world—a visible, carnal path that differs across cultures but is universally evil due to the underlying spirit driving it. Despite conversion, this course remains within us, ready to resurface, as it is the foundation of our pre-conversion attitudes and conduct, continually motivating carnal actions. Coming out of Babylon is crucial because the human heart, shaped by this evil influence, is incurably corrupt and at war with God, incapable of choosing Him without divine intervention. Only through God's calling and the gift of a new heart can we overcome this bondage, enabling us to use our will to choose obedience to His law and resist Babylon's pull. This new heart, given by God's grace, empowers us to discern between good and evil, dominate human nature, and actively flee Babylon's influence, aligning ourselves with His will.

We cannot physically escape Babylon because it has left its mark upon our perspective, our attitudes, and our character, and we carry it with us wherever we are. Yet, our escape from Babylon can be accomplished, for if it could not, God would not command it of us. He has said to come out, and we can. This escape is achieved by choosing to allow the law of our mind to triumph over the law of sin and death, even though it may require great sacrifice. The strength to make these sacrifices comes from God, who gloriously supplies our needs, including faith in His existence, trust in His personal presence with us, vision for the right goal, hope in the value of what is to be gained, and love for Him and our fellow man. These qualities must be communicated to us from God, as we do not possess them naturally. Through a relationship with the Father and the Son, made possible by Jesus Christ's sacrifice, the barrier to communication with God is removed, allowing us to receive the necessary spiritual help to come out of Babylon. By increasing communication with God and decreasing communication with the world, we reverse the process that drew us into the world, stopping sin in our lives and taking advantage of the clarity and forcefulness of thought that God miraculously imparts to us upon calling.

Babylon, from its inception in rebellion as seen in Genesis 11, embodies a system of defiance against God, driven by human pride and the influence of satan. This system, now a worldwide entity, surrounds us with its anti-God nature, appealing strongly to human desires and fostering a deceptive, addictive quality that can ensnare us. We must resist its seductive pull, recognizing that it cannot deliver on its promises, much like wine which, though a gift from God in moderation, becomes a mocker and deceiver when overindulged. We are called to come out of Babylon, not physically, for it is inescapable in our world, but spiritually and morally. We must use it cautiously, in small amounts, lest we become enslaved by its allure. Babylon's influence, like a deep pit, traps those who fall into it, increasing unfaithfulness and confusion among people. Its intoxicating effect impairs proper thinking, leading to spiritual staggering and a loss of right perception, perpetuating cycles of futility and wrong values. The choice before us is stark—between life with God or death with the world. To remain conformed to Babylon is to choose death, as it cannot produce eternal life. We must consciously decide to live by God's revelation, to do His will, and to be like Him, thereby securing eternal life. Babylon, built on a corrupt foundation, will pass away, carrying with it all who are part of its system. Therefore, we must come out of it, rejecting its ways and submitting to God, allowing Him to transform us for His Kingdom.