The Woman John Saw – Rome Revived?

“The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.” (Revelation 17:18, NIV 1984).

Revived Roman Empire (Geographical) – While ancient Rome was the likely candidate for figurative Babylon during John’s time, the predominant belief of evangelical Christians today is that this end times’ “Babylon” will be “revived” and geographically comprised by roughly the same area as Roman Empire of history.  Many speculate that could be the European Union, which includes part but not all the territory of the historical Roman Empire.  But it also comprises some territories that fall outside of the historical Roman Empire.  

The European Union was founded in 1948, in the aftermath of World War II, the same year as modern-day Israel (coincidence?). Its stated purpose was to promote stability and economic cooperation between its member states, which is currently comprised of 28 European countries. These members are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

The European Union is comprised of three institutions (the Council – representing the individual national governments, the European Parliament – representing the people groups of the member countries, and the European Commission – representing the collective European interest), that democratically legislates matters of joint interest to participating countries at a European-wide level. In many respects, this makes it appear like an end time confederation that many believe will come under the sway of the anti-Christ.

The European Union Flag is comprised of 12 yellow stars (sounds like Joseph’s dream in the Old Testament?) in a circle on a blue background.  This is meant to symbolize the ideals of unity, solidarity and harmony among the peoples of Europe.  Its motto is United in diversity. It signifies how Europeans have come together, in the form of the European Union, to work for peace and prosperity, while at the same time being enriched by the continents’ diverse cultures, traditions and languages (“The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.”

A second, but presently minority view, is that this end-times’ empire will be demographically comprised of the various people groups that made up the Roman Empire of history, but not necessarily contained within the same geographic area.  This has led some to speculate that the United States could be Mystery Babylon.

The United States is somewhat unique in its heritage in that it is largely comprised of a “melting pot” of immigrants, which until recent years was predominantly European in origin (the countries of the Old Roman Empire).  In the 18th and 19th centuries, the metaphor of a “crucible” or “(s)melting pot” was used to describe the fusion of different nationalities, ethnicities and cultures. It was used together with the concept that the United States was an ideal republic, a “city upon a hill” or new “promised land.” It represented the idealized process of immigration and colonization of different “peoples, multitudes, nations and languages” blending into a new utopian community of new men and women.

The term “melting pot” came into general usage in 1908, after the premiere of the play The Melting Pot by Israel Zangwill.  The United States was characterized as a country where individuals from all nations were melted into a new race of men, as described by J. Hector St. John de Crevecoeur, Letters from an American Farmer:

“Whence came all these people? They are a mixture of English, Scotch, Irish, French, Dutch, Germans, and Swedes.  What, then, is the American, this new man? He is either a European or the descendant of a European; hence that strange mixture of blood, which you will find in no other country. I could point out to you a family whose grandfather was an Englishman, whose wife was Dutch, whose son married a French woman, and who’s present four sons have now four wives of different nations. He is an American, who, leaving behind him all his ancient prejudices and manners, receives new ones from the new mode of life he has embraced, the new government he obeys, and the new rank he holds. The Americans were once scattered all over Europe; here they are incorporated into one of the finest systems of population which has ever appeared.”

The Seal of the United States and its currency include the phrase E pluribus unum, which is Latin for out of many, one.  The traditionally understood meaning of the phrase was that out of many states (or colonies) emerged a single nation. However, in recent years its meaning has come to suggest that out of many peoples, races, religions, languages, and ancestries has emerged a single people and nation, further illustrating the concept of the melting pot. 

But beyond this, what other characteristics could possibly link the United States to ancient Babylon and/or the old Roman Empire? More on this in the next musing.

My Advice – Even “one of the finest systems of population which has ever appeared” cannot remain that way in a fallen world. All of the Great empires of history have at least one thing in common. Eventually, they all fell. And the fall was usually preceded by moral decline. At some point in time, if Christ delays, the “melting pot” will likely boil over. Only one Kingdom is exempt. If the glory days of your kingdom have come and gone, or is currently eroding before your very eyes (and these encompass all of mankind), you need to be a part of the of that one Kingdom.

Resources:

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/196399/European-Union-EU.

http://www.state.gov/p/eur/rt/eu/

http://europa.eu/about-eu/basic-information/symbols/index_en.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melting_pot