WHO IS THIS BABYLON?
by Don Preston
Table of Contents
Our study proceeds from chapter to
chapter. Just proceed through the book as you would the Apocalypse. We have not
included material on every chapter, however, so be informed.
Babylon and Matthew 24
p. 1-3—A study comparing the Olivet Discourse and Revelation
Revelation 3:9—The Manifestation of The Sons of God
p. 3-7—The central controversy in the first century was the identity of the
Sons of God. The fall of Babylon would settle that issue. This identifies
Babylon as first century Jerusalem.
Revelation 3:10—The Fiery Trial About to Come
p. 7-9—John said it was coming, Peter said it had come!
Revelation 5—The Sealed Book Opened
p. 9-11—Biblically a sealed book meant judgment on Israeli Daniel was told his
prophecy was to be sealed until the time of the end. Revelation
"opens" Daniel’s vision.
Revelation 6—John The Immerser
and Babylon
p. 11-19-John the Immerser was the covenant messenger heralding the Day of
the Lord on Israeli Revelation is the fulfillment of his message
"The axe is at the root!"! The Day of the Lord would vindicate God’s
martyrs. The Day of the Lord defined.
Revelation 8—The Sounding of The Seven Trumpets
p. 19-23—Trumpets and Israel!/ Jubilee and Judgment/ Resurrection/ Literal
Trumpets?/ Six Already Sounded!
Revelation 9:3f—The Coming of The Locusts
p. 24—Israel’s Law of Blessing and Cursing and the locust.
Revelation 9:6—They Will Seek Death and Not Find
It!
p. 25—Josephus says it actually happened!
Revelation 10—There Will Be No More Delay!
p. 25-27-Daniel’s prophecy about to be fulfilled!
Revelation 11:2—The Treading Down of The City
p. 27-32—Luke 21 and Revelation 11 a comparative study
Revelation 11:8-Babylon That Great City!
p. 32-33-Jerusalem or Rome?/ Who is Sodom?/ What does Egypt, spiritually
speaking, mean?/ Where the Lord was slain!
Revelation 11—Resurrection and Daniel 12
p. 33-34—Daniel’s powerful testimony
Revelation 14:6f—Babylon and The World Mission
p. 34-37—Into All the World Then Comes The End!/ The two witnesses and Paul’s
mission
Revelation 14:14f—Babylon and The Harvest
p. 37-46—Defining the "end of the age"/ Dumb
Disciples or Sharp Students?/ Jerusalem and "the end," what end?
Revelation 14:20-The flowing of The Blood
p. 46-47—The horrors of A.D. 70! Outside what City?/ What’s with the
measurements?
Revelation 15:1-5-Babylon and The Exodus Motif
p. 47-48—Defining the bondage.
Revelation 15:8-The Consummation of Vengeance
p. 48-50—God’s Wrath finished on Babylon/ Comparative chart—Luke 21;
Hebrews 9; Revelation 15-19/ Entering the Most Holy
Place
Revelation 16:6-Babylon: Persecutor of The Prophets
p. 50-55-Old Covenant Prophets or New?/ Rome: Not Guilty!/ Who Killed the
Apostles?/ He will avenge them speedily
Revelation 16:18-Babylon and The Great Earthquake
p. 56-57—What does an earthquake mean, anyway?
Revelation 16:19-Babylon Divided Into Three Parts
p. 57—You mean this actually happened?/ What did Ezekiel have to say about all
this?
Revelation 16:19-Babylon Remembered Before God
p. 58-Why does John keep using all of this language from the Old Covenant?
Revelation 16:21—Babylon and The Plagues of Egypt
p. 59-60--Israel Becomes Egypt!/ Leviticus 26 and Babylon
Revelation 17, Ezekiel 16 and Babylon
p. 60-61—Does Jerusalem mean Rome, or Jerusalem?
Revelation 17:1—Babylon The Harlot
p. 61-62—Can we believe Ezekiel or not?
Revelation 17:4-Babylon and The Blood of The Saints
p. 62-66-Does what Jesus said matter?/ Who Killed the Saints?/ Non-Saints Do Not
Count!/ Did Domitian Do It or Not?
Revelation 17:4-Babylon and The Full Cup of Sin
p. 66-68—15 Centuries Versus 20 years: Which is Worse?/ An Unbroken Chain of
Guilt
Revelation 17:4-The Harlot and Her Clothes
p. 68-70-Just pretty clothes or garments of a priest? / Roman images or Jewish?
Revelation 18:2—Babylon: Habitation of Demons
p. 70-71—Jesus makes it pretty plain!
Revelation 18:20-24-Babylon and The Shedding of All The Blood On The Earth
p. 71-72—Jesus said it. Paul said it. John said it.
Revelation 19:7f—Babylon and The Bride
p. 72-80-A Tale of Two Women/ Jesus’ Parables of the Wedding! Israel’s Hope
of the Wedding/ When’s the Wedding?
Revelation 19-Babylon and Signs of Sovereignty
p. 81-82—The Gospel of John and Revelation: A Comparison/ What Sign Will You
Show Us?
Revelation 20-Babylon and The Book of Life
p. 82-86-A Little History/ The Book of Life: A Comparative Chart of Prophetic
Passages/ It’s Israel’s Book!
Revelation 20 and The Opening of The Books
p. 86-89-It Came From Daniel!/ Jesus and Daniel/ It’s Too Late To Do It Now!
Revelation 21—Babylon and The New Jerusalem
p. 89-92—A Tale of Two Cities/ A New Jerusalem or A New Rome?/ A Comparative Study of Prophetic Passages
Revelation 21:3f—Babylon and The New Tabernacle
p. 93-96-A Comparative Chart: Isaiah and Revelation/ Ezekiel’s Promise of the
Tabernacle
Revelation 21:11f—The New Jerusalem: Having The Glory of God
p. 97-102—What’s A Shekinak?/ Israel’s Temple and the Glory of
God/ More On Ezekiel’s Promise/ Jesus and Ezekiel: A
Comparative Chart/ John 4 and Revelation 21
Revelation 22:1—Babylon and The River of Life
p. 102-105-It’s Israel’s River!/ A Comparative Chart: Zechariah 14 and
Revelation
Revelation 22—The Restoration of All Things
p. 106-113-Restoration of what?/ Restoration in the Prophets! Restoration
and the Passing of the Old Law/ Restoration and the Parousia
SPECIAL STUDY: BABYLON’S FALL WAS AT HAND
p. 114-142—This special study examines the time statements of Revelation.
John was told repeatedly that fulfillment was at hand. What does "at
hand" mean? Several objections are offered to negate the imminence
of Revelation and this study examines each of them. This special study is
vitally important to properly understanding Revelation. It proves that God can tell time, and establishes the identity of Babylon.
SPECIAL STUDY: PAUL AND THE APOCALYPSE
p. 143-180-This important and unique special study examines the ministry
of Paul, and its relationship to Revelation. Several charts are included. The
key aspects of Paul’s ministry are examined:
1.) Paul’s Message-The Hope of Israel,
2.) Paul, The New Jerusalem, and Revelation,
3.) Paul, The World Mission, and Revelation,
4.) Paul, The Mystery of God, and Revelation,
5.) Paul, Martyrdom, and the Apocalypse.
SPECIAL STUDY: OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED
p. 181-198-This special study carefully examines the key objections to
the evidence presented in this book, and shows why they are not valid. It
is the "other side of the story"—refuted.
The Significance of The Fall of Jerusalem
p. 199-201—Seeing Jerusalem as God saw her. The Covenant City.
Implications For The Traditional Views
p. 202-208-What does the identity of Babylon as Jerusalem mean for the
traditional views of:
1.) Premillennialism,
2.) Amillennialism,
3.) Postmillennialism?
Conclusion: p. 208-210
Back of Book
This book proclaims that God’s eternal covenant with humanity has
been consummated—that Christians today dwell in the presence of God
and have eternal life.
This understanding (called Covenant Eschatology)
affirms that all Bible prophecy— including the parousia (coming) of
Christ, the kingdom of God, and the establishment of the new heavens and
earth (Revelation 21-22), was completely fulfilled by the time Jerusalem
was destroyed in A.D. 70.
What others are saving about Babylon:
This is one of the most comprehensive books on New Testament eschatology
that I have ever read. The book of Revelation is explained from the
preterist perspective, and the author relates all of it to the Pauline
epistles and Jesus’ Olivet Discourse. While I would not agree with
everything in the book (e.g. the nonliteral approach to the
resurrection), it should settle many questions about the fulfillment of
the book of Revelation. There are many good arguments for the early
dating of Revelation. This book is a must for your library!
-Evangelist
John L. Bray, Lakeland, Florida
Who Is This Babylon? is a must read for the serious Bible student.
Preston’s careful exposition and argumentation leads the reader
through many puzzling questions facing Christians today. This work uses
the finest authorities, but is not simply a rehash, it is a careful
presentation of Paul’s influence on the Apocalypse, a study found
nowhere else. The charts in this book are stunningly convincing in
showing the relationship between Revelation and the Olivet Discourse.
Preston leaves no stone unturned, and leaves no doubt that Revelation
was written before A.D. 70, and that Babylon of Revelation was first
century Jerusalem. This book is scholarly, but not ponderous. It moves
with a freshness that draws the reader from section to section with the
interest of a treasure hunt. Do not fail to read this book!
- George
Monta, author, Prophecy Handbook
