“Babylon” was literally an ancient city (located a little southwest of present day Baghdad, Iraq), a broader kingdom/empire, and symbolically a descriptor/label for the wicked/the worldly of all generations in all places for those people who choose the things of this world over the things of God.
I’m with JTT. In it’s heyday, Babylon was a center of pagan worship as well as of government operating without consideration of God’s will. Therefore it represents the all those who fail to worship God in “spirit and truth”.
>>>“Babylon” was literally an ancient city (located a little southwest of present day Baghdad, Iraq), a broader kingdom/empire, and symbolically a descriptor/label for the wicked/the worldly of all generations in all places for those people who choose the things of this world over the things of God.<<<
I agree with most of that. It also appears Babylon the Great was old Jerusalem.
Philip
Speaking of wicked, the following is what Flavius Josephus, an Orthodox Jewish Priest and historian, wrote about old Jerusalem in his book, Wars of the Jews:
"That neither did any other city ever suffer such miseries, nor did any age ever breed a generation more fruitful in wickedness than this was, from the beginning of the world." [Wars V.10.5]
Josephus was also a Jewish general, captured early in the war, and became an eye-witness. He personally believed the destruction caused by the Roman armies was God's judgement on Jerusalem because of it's wickedness.
Philip
Almost directly south of Baghdad. More accurately south of Baghdad along the Tigris river:) Modern city is Al Hillah.
Sorry but been to both places and had the opportunity to view the ruins. Locals tried telling us a huge midden heap was the tower of Babel as well:)
Still loads of digging and finding left to do on the ruins if they can figure out how to stop killing each other and let others help them do the digging.
Such vast petroleum reserves in Iraq that if they ever got their act together they would give the Saudis and Gulf states some real competition.